


Write For Me

by greywilde



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Office, Babies, Breastfeeding, Brief Mentions of FinnPoe, Canon Age Difference, Childbirth, Children, Coffee Shops, Devoted Reylo, Enemies Online, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fingering, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friends/Lovers In Real Life, Friendship, Future Mentions of Gingerrose, Guilt over slight emotional cheating, HEA Guaranteed, Loss of Virginity, Lots of eating and drinking in this fic, Masturbation, Mentions of past deaths, Misunderstandings, Most Canon Deaths Ignored, New York City, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Pregnancy, Romance, Semi Slow Burn, Sex, Shower Sex, Slight Lactation Kink, Smut, Some angst, Virgin Rey, briefly mentioned cum eating, briefly mentioned hint of dom/sub dynamic, but its not really cheating, mention of jess/jannah, perceived infidelity, relationship, some praise kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 100,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24938806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greywilde/pseuds/greywilde
Summary: Rey Jackson recently started her internship at Resistance Publishing House and is falling in love with the quiet editor who works across the hall, Ben Solo. Trying to get by with the high NYC cost of living, she takes an extra job on the side writing for an erotic fiction site under the pen name Kira Kenobi and finds herself paired with the most condescending and infuriating editor that she's ever met, Kylo Ren.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 903
Kudos: 1207
Collections: ReylOlds





	1. Friends Helping Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the very first story that I have ever posted. I have been reading fanfiction for years across various fandoms and my attempts to write my own works in the past have always fizzled out...until I discovered Reylo. Inspired by the characters and the wonderful writers who have kept me endlessly entertained during this crazy year, I'm giving it a try! Please be gentle, I'm just doing this for fun so if my writing style or the content of this fic isn't for you the back button is your best friend ;-) 
> 
> I have almost the entire story written so I should be updating on a fairly regular basis!
> 
> Also, please let me know if I forget to tag something. I will be adding more to the list very shortly, but I definitely want to know if I miss something that needs to be mentioned. 
> 
> Thanks for giving my fic a shot, I really enjoyed writing this one!

  


* * *

Her coffee had gone cold. Again. 

Rey glanced down at the creamy brown liquid with a slight frown. The breakfast blend from the break room coffee machine was palatable at best when hot and fresh; three hours after sitting untouched on her desk it was approaching room temperature and the caramel something-or-other creamer she’d pilfered from the community fridge couldn't save it. 

She grabbed her mug, reading the words _“Be careful, or you’ll end up in my next novel”_ printed on it with a smile as she made her way down the hall. To her relief, the coffee pot was half full and still hot. Rey sent up a prayer to the espresso gods for her caffeine-addicted coworkers and poured herself a new cup. Opening the refrigerator, she stole another splash of creamer, swirling the contents until the dark brown faded into a milky beige. 

Sipping the hot beverage with care as she returned to her desk, she set the mug next to her keyboard and took a seat.

It was her second month as an intern for Resistance Publishing House, one of the most prominent publishing companies in the world. Located on the edge of Central Park in New York City, Resistance occupied sixteen floors of a towering skyscraper.  The bright and airy office had a modern vibe providing a peaceful and comforting atmosphere as though you were sitting at your local library with a good book. Rows of tables and bookshelves filled the center of the open floor plan bordered by several offices and conference rooms encased in frosted glass.

Ever since Rey could remember, writing had been her passion. She’d spent hours inventing stories in her head as a child. Writing had become an escape while growing up in a tumultuous foster care environment. Whenever she had paper and a pen, she would jot ideas down, dreaming of adventures and fantasies of the life she desperately wished she could have. Her determination to become a writer carried her through high school and college. Years of hard work eventually paid off with her recent graduation from NYU and a prestigious internship that would all but guarantee a future in the literary business. 

“Are you doing anything at the moment?” 

Rey glanced up meeting the warm brown eyes of Ben Solo, the editor who worked across from her desk. A blush spread across her cheeks as she caught herself staring just a moment too long. He was impossibly tall and broad with a striking face and intriguing features that she couldn’t help but notice . 

Taking another sip of her coffee she gave him a warm smile. “Not as of about three minutes ago,” she answered. 

“Good. That’s good,” Ben replied after a brief pause. Clearing his throat, he continued, “I have a few chapters that need to be proofread, I’ll email them over.” 

By the time she could open her mouth to respond he had disappeared back into his office. 

Ben was the son of Resistance Publishing House founder and CEO, Leia Organa, and a mystery Rey had found herself eager to solve. Her first week, she learned that he had worked for a rival publishing company, The First Order, for several years following graduate school. Unexpectedly, or  not  so  unexpectedly  depending on who you talked to, he quit a few weeks  before The First Order shut down due to numerous fraud and extortion charges. He disappeared from the publishing world after that, avoiding most media attention following the scandal - save for the few obscure articles that mentioned his mysterious resignation. 

He quietly returned around a year later as an editor for Resistance.

Rey worked with the editorial department for her internship. Her desk sat across from Ben’s glass-enclosed office. At first, he ignored her, which came as no surprise - he didn't talk much. Still, his aloofness intrigued her, and it became her goal to make him smile. She greeted him every morning, brought him coffee, and made attempts at conversation. After some time he'd begun to respond in turn. The first time that she'd seen the elusive hint of a smirk on his face it had made her entire day. 

She wasn’t sure if she would call them friends yet, but she was working on it. 

“I sent the files,” Ben called from his office after a few minutes. 

Rey pulled her chair back towards her desk and opened her email. She reached for her mug to take another sip of coffee and returned to work. 

*****

**Jannah: Please tell me you don’t have plans after work.**

Rey glanced down at her phone as she began packing up for the day that afternoon and smiled as she read the name on the screen. Jannah had been the first friend she’d made after starting at Resistance, the former intern worked as a graphic designer for the company and had taken Rey under her wing from the start. 

She paused and typed a short reply. 

_Rey: I don’t have plans after work. Drinks?_

**Jannah: Of course. Meet me downstairs.**

Rey sent an affirmative response and tossed her phone in her purse before placing the leather strap over her shoulder. She double-checked that her work was saved and logged into the internal system to clock  out  for the day. 

As she was leaving her desk, Ben's office door opened and he emerged with a stack of papers in hand. His impeccable hair was a mess and the top of his tie hung askew around his neck. 

“Rough afternoon?” Rey raised an eyebrow at her disheveled coworker. 

Ben glanced upwards and startled, unaware that she stood in front of him. “Something like that,” he replied quietly as he composed himself. “Are you on your way home?” 

“I just clocked out a moment ago. I assume you plan on working late?” Rey asked, nodding towards the documents he held.

He sighed. “There’s been a lot of back and forth on this chapter. I’ve been working on it all afternoon and still have work to do. I’m going to print off a copy to run through the shredder before I lose my mind.” 

Rey stifled a giggle at his confession giving him a sympathetic pat on the arm. “I hope that helps, Ben.” Turning to head for the elevators, she called over her shoulder, “don’t work too late!”

He didn’t reply, but she saw the faint hint of dimples appear as he smiled at the papers he held. 

Jannah Calrissian was waiting outside their building. Her jet black curls pulled back into a patterned headband that complimented the grey slacks and yellow blouse she wore. 

“There you are,” she smiled as she pulled Rey into a hug. “Our usual?” 

“Of course, when do we ever go anywhere else? ” Rey answered as she stepped back and gave her friend a knowing look. 

“Good point,” Jannah grinned. 

Their regular after-work spot, Naboo, was a small bar a short two-block walk from their office. The happy hour began right after their workday finished and was their regular spot to grab an after-work drink. 

“So, how was your day?” Jannah asked as they walked along the familiar route past the office buildings and storefronts that lined the busy city streets.

“Busy,” Rey replied with a yawn. “I spent most of the morning reorganizing files in the dropbox, and then I proofread for Ben all afternoon.” 

“Sounds like an absolute blast,” Jannah droned, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“Tell me about it.” Rey groaned. “How was yours ?” 

“A total shit show,” Jannah sighed. “I’ve redone the cover art for this one book four times and it's still not perfect enough. I don’t know what the author is picturing, but I’m beginning to think they are expecting the impossible.” 

“I’ve heard that shredding printed copies of frustrating chapters helps, you might want to give it a try with your covers” Rey suggested as her mind drifted to her previous run-in with Ben. 

“Well, I’m sure as hell not going back to work to do that now,” Jannah grumbled. “I’ll drink tonight and shred the fuck  out of them  tomorrow.” 

Naboo was already packed when the two arrived. Weaving their way past the crowd standing near the bar they found an empty table tucked in the back. Rey loved the atmosphere of the small bar, the rich green walls and elegant dark furniture gave the interior a sophisticated ambiance, both warm and welcoming after a long day at work.

“What do you want?” she asked, grabbing her wallet from her purse. “First drink is on me.”

“Rey, you don’t -“ Jannah started to protest.

Rey held up her hand to stop her. “I insist. Tell me or I’m picking something ridiculous for you,” she threatened with a teasing smile. 

“Fine. Gin and Tonic. Extra twist of lime,” Jannah conceded. 

"You've got it.” Rey grinned and turned towards the bar where the usual happy hour crowd stood shoulder to shoulder surrounding the long counter. Using her slight frame, Rey pushed her way to the front and found a space where she could wait until it was her turn to order.

“Can I get a Gin and Tonic with an extra twist of lime, make that a double, please.” Rey made her request to the first bartender who acknowledged her. 

The shorter balding man gave her a curt nod. “Anything else, love?” he asked with a wink. 

“A vodka soda as well, thanks,” she replied, placing her ID on the countertop. 

The bartender glanced down and slid the card back towards her. “Just these for you, or would you like to open a tab?” 

“Those two, for now, thanks.” Rey smiled and handed him her credit card. He ran the payment and returned a moment later with her card and the receipt. She wrote in a tip and signed her name before slipping her credit card into her wallet. Leaning against the counter, she watched as the man crafted their drinks - his hands moving in a fluid rhythm as he mixed and poured the various ingredients into two tall glasses. 

Rey returned to their corner table handing one drink to Jannah as she took her seat. 

“Thanks,” Jannah smiled, taking a slow sip. 

“I got you a double, you look like you needed it,” Rey confessed. 

Jannah's eyes widened as she swallowed the strong beverage. “You’re the best,” she replied with a wide grin. “Next round is on me though.”

“It better be, I have one round limit with my income,” Rey teased. 

Her internship at Resistance didn't pay much. It paid in _experience,_ for the most part, and the modest wage was a bonus. To help make ends meet with the high cost of living in the city, Rey shared a small apartment in Brooklyn with three friends and worked weekend shifts as a barista. 

“Cheers to that!” Jannah agreed, raising her glass in salute. “I had two other jobs during my internship, I don’t remember sleeping that entire year.” 

“I’ve considered finding more work but I don't know when I'd find the time between working for Resistance and at the coffee shop,” Rey explained. 

Jannah gave her a playful smirk with mischief in her eyes. “How do you feel about writing smut?” 

Rey swallowed the bitter vodka soda in her mouth and shot a skeptical look across the table. “Seriously?”

“Seriously!” Jannah insisted. “I work a side job doing graphic design and art for Passion and Prose. I know you love writing, and I’m willing to bet you’re damn good at it too. I can get a good word in for you with the owner.” 

“Are you kidding me? I love that site!” Rey gushed.   


Passion and Prose had started a few years ago as a  monthly subscription site for erotic literature and artwork. It was a small splurge in her tight budget, but it was worth every penny. 

“It's a great company to work for too. The owner, Amilyn, used to work at Resistance. She’s a friend of Leia’s actually, they’ve known each other since college,” Jannah explained.

Rey gave her a thoughtful look. “I’ll think about it, I’m not the best at writing sex scenes, but it might be worth a try.” 

“I’m sure you’re better at it than you think, and you’ll have an editor to help you along the way,” Jannah assured her. “I’ll text you Amilyn’s info, she’s fantastic, you’ll love her!”

A buzz from her purse signaled the arrival of Jannah’s message. “It doesn’t go against any company policies?” She asked.

“Not at all, Leia knows that I work there as well and is completely supportive,” Jannah explained, pausing to finish off her drink. “If you’re not comfortable with telling her it’s not a big deal. Amilyn is big on confidentiality.”

“Alright. I’ll send her an email tonight,” Rey agreed. If anything, it would give her an excuse to write for fun again. The small amount of extra spending money in her budget wouldn’t hurt either. 

The apartment was empty when she arrived home that evening. Rey moved in with her two best friends from college, Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix, at the beginning of the year. Rose had graduated the previous year and worked as a project manager for a fitness equipment company. Kaydel was the same year as Rey, she had completed an internship for Rebel Magazine during her final semester before starting her job as a junior staff writer right after graduation. 

Finances had been tight with a first-year project manager, an intern, and Rey still a full-time student and part-time barista until Jessika Pava had moved in that past April. Jess worked with Kaydel and needed a new place to live. It had been an easy decision to include a fourth roommate and they had grown to become close friends in a short time. 

  
Rey entered her bedroom and removed her blouse and skirt, tossing them in the hamper against the wall. She rummaged through her dresser and found a pair of leggings and a soft hooded sweatshirt and changed into her usual after-work outfit. Grabbing her laptop from her nightstand she brought it to the living room. Taking a seat in the chair by the window, Rey turned the screen on, opened the long-neglected folder, and scrolled through the file names until she located the document she had in mind.

“Reyyyy! We’re home!” Kaydel’s sing-song voice called as she and Jess returned that evening. 

“You two look like you’ve had a fun night,” Rey observed, smiling as the two girls made their way to the bedroom they shared. 

“The best!” Jess raved, her brown eyes shining with mischief. "We went dancing with a few of our coworkers."

“We’ll tell you everything after we change,” Kaydel chimed in as they both disappeared into their room. 

When they emerged in their pajamas several minutes later, Rey moved to set her laptop on the table beside her chair. 

Kaydel frowned as she and Jess took a seat on the couch. “You’re not doing work are you?”

“Not exactly, no, kind of maybe,” Rey hesitated a bit then added, “I might submit a story to Passion and Prose.” 

“Oh my god, you totally should. Rey, you’re a fantastic writer,” Kaydel replied enthusiastically. “I’ve considered it before, but I’m much better at writing listicles and coming up with ridiculous quizzes.”

“I know a few of the writers who work for Rebel that do, and they love it, ” Jess agreed. “You should go for it, you know I’d read the fuck out of anything you post.”

“One problem though,” Kaydel gave Rey a knowing expression. “How do you feel about writing smut?” 

  
Rey buried her face in her hands and groaned. “You know the answer to that, you followed my old AO3 account.”

“There’s no G or T category for you on Passion and Prose, Rey. I’m just saying…” Kaydel shrugged. 

Jess snorted. “I don’t think the M category exists either. Everything they post is _explicit_ with a big capital E.”  
  


“I guess I’ll have to figure it out,” she replied.

Dating and casual hookups were never a priority for Rey. She had thrown herself into schoolwork and side jobs since her teenage years, leaving little time for anything else. Despite her inexperience, she wasn't naive at all, but she found smut difficult to write.

“Ooh! We'll help!” Kaydel clapped her hands as her eyes lit up mischievously. 

“Absolutely!” Jess added in agreement. “I may be a horrible writer, but I’ve got plenty of experience to share.”

“I’ll take you both up on that, but I want to email the first chapter and see if they are even interested first, okay?” Rey replied. 

Jess gave her an understanding look. “Fair enough, but when you get to the smut. We’re here for you!” 

“Would you like a second set of eyes to look over your first chapter?” Kaydel asked. They’d shared a few writing classes in college and had partnered up for peer editing on several occasions. Her friend possessed an impeccable eye for detail and a mind full of creative suggestions. 

“If you don’t mind,” Rey said as she opened her laptop and placed it in Kaydel’s waiting hands. “It’s a story I started years ago. There’s a rough outline for the rest at the bottom. Feel free to edit any mistakes.”

Kaydel skimmed through the words on the screen, stopping on occasion to make a note or correction. The sounds of clicking keys and the occasional snort of laughter filled an otherwise silent room. Jess perched on the arm of the couch as she read over Kaydel’s shoulder. 

“We can definitely work with this. Enemies to Lovers is a popular trope,” Kaydel said with confidence after she finished reading. 

Rey took the laptop back and set it on the table and grinned. “That’s why I chose this particular story to use.” 

“Two words, my friend,” Jess added conspiratorially. “Hate. Sex.”

They were halfway through a bottle of wine and laughing over one of Rey’s earlier attempts at writing a sex scene when Rose came home. After filling her in, she joined them, wine in hand, to catch up on what Rey had already written. 

“You have to submit this,” Rose stated after finishing the chapter and outline. “It’s just as good as the stories they have published on Passion and Prose.” 

“My smut is still awful,” Rey grumbled as she wrinkled her nose in frustration. 

“We’ll work on it,” Kaydel assured her. “Most people won’t care if the sex scenes aren’t as good as long as they’re in there.”

“Are you going to email your first chapter tonight?” Rose asked, handing the laptop back to Rey. 

She bit her lip with uncertainty as she set her computer in her lap and looked at her friends. “Do you all think that it's good enough? Be honest.”

“Come on, Rey,” Kaydel groaned. 

“I’ll hack your computer and send it for you if you don’t,” Rose baited her with an empty threat. 

“You’ve got my vote too, your first chapter has me hooked. I’m pretty sure you owe it to all of us now to finish so we can find  out  what happens,” Jess added with a shrug. 

Kaydel sat up and grinned. “Yeah, you promised hate sex, no backing out now.” 

Rey placed her hand on her forehead and sighed. 

Thirty minutes and four deleted email drafts later, she pushed send.


	2. And So It Begins...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey corresponds with Amilyn about writing for Passion and Prose. Ben needs more help at work and invites Rey to lunch as a thank you. Future plans are made and Leia meddles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am seriously blown away at the response to this little story of mine! All of your comments, kudos, bookmarks, and subscriptions have made my weekend. Thank you so much for giving this new writer a chance. 
> 
> There's a brief POV change for the very last paragraph denoted by ****
> 
> Also, the spacing with the email convos is a bit off, I'm working on a fix for that! 
> 
> More notes at the end :)

Rey woke up  before  her alarm went off the next morning. Her attempts to fall back asleep failed and she found herself checking her email instead. No new response. She shook her head, It was ridiculous to expect one at six in the morning, anyway. Setting the phone back down she settled back into her pillow and closed her eyes. 

That worked for two minutes. 

Giving up, she grabbed her work clothes, careful to avoid waking Rose who remained asleep on the other side of the room. Rey stepped across the hall into the shared bathroom, turning the light on and shutting the door. Carefully, she hung her outfit from the hook on the back of the door. Reaching for her brush, she fixed her hair into a simple bun, her usual workday style, securing it with a hair tie and bobby pins. After applying her makeup, she stepped back and admired her reflection in the mirror. 

She emerged dressed in a silk sleeveless blouse and pencil skirt, making a brief stop to add her pajamas to her laundry basket, and headed into the kitchen. 

“You’re up early,” Rose commented as she entered the kitchen a few moments  later . 

Rey looked at her with an apologetic expression, “I didn’t wake you, did I?” 

“Nope. My alarm just went off. You’re good.” Rose assured her. “Are you heading out now?”

“I figured I’d go by Maz’s and grab something there since I’ve got some time to stop by and say hello,” she explained as she grabbed her coat off the rack and slid it over her shoulders, followed by her leather purse. 

“Hmm, good idea,” Rose agreed. “Are we still on for bar hopping tonight?” 

Rey nodded. “Absolutely, see you at Oga’s later!” 

Maz’s Cafe sat on a bustling corner near the NYU campus and had become a second home to her during undergrad. Rey applied for a job as a barista at the start of her freshman year, and Maz had hired her immediately. When she landed the internship and gave Maz the news, the old woman had begun to laugh and informed Rey that she used to change Leia’s diapers. 

She had made a deal with Maz to continue working on her weekends after she graduated and started at Resistance. It made for a busy schedule but she loved spending time with the woman she had come to consider a surrogate grandmother. 

Admiring the familiar scenery as she exited the subway tunnel, Rey made the two-block walk towards the brick and glass-front building. Umbrella-covered cafe tables sat beneath bright colored hanging plants swinging from the awning. A cheerful yellow logo across the canopy glowed against the muted tones of the morning sky.

The comforting smell of brewed coffee and fresh-baked pastries assaulted her nose as she stepped through the front door. It was busy despite the  early  hour. Several customers sat at tables, enjoying their morning coffee, and reading that day’s edition of the paper. Rey approached the counter and recognizing the silver-haired woman at the register with a cheerful grin. 

“Hey, stranger!” Emmie greeted her with a bright smile. 

Emmie was one of the day shift managers and had been at the cafe since Maz had first opened. “Your usual?” She guessed with a raise of her brow. 

“Yes please, with an extra shot of espresso,” Rey confirmed with a smile. “Also, I’ll take one of the cranberry scones.” 

Emmie rang up her total and handed her the scone and receipt after Rey swiped her card in the reader. “How is that internship of yours going?” 

“It's going well, I am learning a lot, I miss working the weekday shifts with you though,” she replied.

“We sure miss you during these crazy opening hours, dear, I’m glad you were able to stop by.” Emmie reached across the counter to give her hand a friendly squeeze. Rey’s course schedule as a student had allowed her flexibility to work during the week and they had shared many morning shifts together.

Rey grabbed her Hazelnut Latte and walked to her usual table, setting her cup and scone on the wooden surface as a soft buzz vibrated against her hip. Reaching in her bag for her phone, the banner notification on the screen alerted her to a new email. Her stomach fluttered with nervous excitement as she noticed the sender. Taking a seat, Rey opened the message and began to read.

**To: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**Subject: Story Submission**

Dear Rey,

Thank you so much for contacting me! Jannah sent me a message last night to tell me she had passed along my information and I am glad to hear from you.

I read through the first chapter and it looks promising. The premise is intriguing and shows potential; stories set in space aren’t common on our site but I believe it would generate a good amount of readership. 

Would it be possible to see an example of a sex scene? Either an unrelated piece to your story or a scene from a future chapter, whatever best showcases your erotic writing abilities! 

Take your time and get back to me over the weekend if needed. 

Also, please, call me Amilyn. We keep things casual at P&P! 

Take Care,

Amilyn Holdo

She stifled the urge to squeal with excitement. Ignoring the nerves that settled deep in her gut over Amilyn's request for a sex scene. There would be another time to focus on those feelings. Rey pushed the button to reply, her fingers moving at a rapid pace across the screen. 

**To: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**Subject: Story Submission**

Dear Amilyn,

Thank you so much for your reply and for reading my first chapter. I am glad you loved it. 

I will send you a draft of a sex scene that I've written to include in a future chapter. It still needs a little bit of work, but I should be able to email it this afternoon. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Rey Jackson

The time displayed on her phone reminded Rey that she needed to leave for the subway station to catch the next train. She finished her scone and gave one last wave to Emmie as she headed towards the street. 

Jannah was waiting at her desk when Rey arrived at work.

“You wrote to Amilyn! I’m so proud of you!” She wrapped her into a big hug. “She emailed me this morning, she sounds very impressed with the chapter you sent her.” 

“She still wants to see more before making a decision,” Rey reminded her. 

Jannah rolled her eyes in response. “Please. You’ve got this.” 

“Why are you here so early?” Rey questioned, it was still fifteen minutes  before  the start of their workday and Jannah was notorious for showing up a few minutes late.

“A friend suggested I shred some shit, so I came early to shred said shit,” Jannah replied with a smirk. “Anyway, I better get back upstairs. I’ll see you around.” 

Rey laughed and nodded in understanding. “Of course.”

Her mornings as an intern consisted of checking her email for the various requests from the editing department. She spent most of her time proofreading and organizing files, or they would ask her to write something or do research to fact check information for a book. That particular morning her inbox was still empty, leaving her a spare moment to work on the scene she hoped to send Amilyn that afternoon. 

“Can I get you to look over something for me?” Rey followed the voice across the hall to where Ben stood at the door of his office. His curious gaze focused on her. 

Rolling back from her desk, she turned her chair to face him. “Sure thing.” 

He gave her a small smile in reply. “I’ll email it to you. It’s that chapter again,” he mentioned referring to the pages he had shredded the previous afternoon. “It’s better, but I need a fresh set of eyes on it.” 

“Do I get my own copy to shred if it drives me crazy too?” Rey shot back with a playful grin. 

“Only after you’ve spent three days going back and forth on it.” His loud laugh filled the open space. Rey blushed and turned to hide her face while she composed herself. “I’ll send it over right away. Thanks, Rey. I owe you.” 

“Anytime, Ben,” Rey replied. 

It took one and a quarter pages for Rey to understand his frustration. The writing itself wasn’t bad, but the flow was off in several places. She read through it twice and started to make small edits and suggestions in the margins. Checking over her additions a few times for clarity, she saved the file and sent it back to Ben. 

He emerged from his office after another twenty minutes. 

“Did that help any?” Rey asked as he approached her desk.

Ben ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “A little, thanks. I’m sending it over to the author but I think that we’re on the right track.” 

“If you need me to look at it again, just let me know.” She smiled at him as he disappeared back through his office door with his usual single nod of acknowledgment. 

Another email popped up after a few moments.

**To: Rey Jackson <reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Thanks**

Rey,

Thanks again for your help this morning. 

If you don’t have plans this afternoon, I would like to take you to lunch. Consider it a thank you for being my second set of eyes. 

Ben 

A smile spread across her face as she typed her reply. 

**To: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Re: Thanks**

Ben, 

I would love to go to lunch with you. I would tell you that it's unnecessary and I'm simply doing my job, but I'm not one to turn down a free meal and good company. 

Rey 

His response was immediate. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Re: Re: Thanks**

Rey,

I don’t know if I would call myself a good dining companion, but I can promise you a free meal. 

Be ready to go by 12:15. I hope you like Indian. 

Ben 

**To: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Thanks**

Ben,

Somehow I doubt that, Ben. 

Indian food sounds fantastic and so does your company. 

I’ll be ready at 12:15

Rey 

Tauntaun was a six-minute walk from the Resistance offices, tucked  between  a Ramen restaurant and a nail salon. A cheerful woman welcomed them as they entered, leading them past bright photographs depicting the vivid Indian culture that contrasted against the dark paneled walls. They took their seats and the hostess placed menus on the table leaving them with a promise that their server would arrive to take their order in a moment.

“What is your favorite dish?” Rey asked as she browsed that day's specials. 

“Usually the chicken korma,” Ben replied. “Sometimes the lamb curry, it depends.” He continued to look over the menu. “I’m thinking the lamb today though.” 

“I always get the Makhani chicken, I'm a creature of habit I guess.” She smiled as she shrugged. 

Ben nodded in response setting his menu down to look for a server, catching the eye of an older man who approached their table with a small wave. 

“Welcome to Tauntaun, my name is Sarthak,” he greeted them as he proceeded to fill the empty goblets with ice-cold water. “Do you need a few more moments, or are we ready to order?” 

Ben glanced at Rey first. "May I order for both of us?" he asked. 

"Of course,” Rey murmured, a soft warmth settled in her chest. She listened as Ben gave their order, adding on a basket of Naan for them to share.The server replied with a nod of confirmation and retreated towards the kitchen. 

The two sat in awkward silence. Rey fidgeted in her seat, as Ben studied his water glass as though he were examining it for small flaws. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this,” Ben admitted. 

Rey reached across the table to touch his arm in understanding. “It’s not like I’m engaging you in thrilling conversation either,” she pointed out, bringing her hand back to her side. Taking a deep breath she started again. “Tell me about your weekend plans.” 

There. That was a safe topic she hoped. 

“My weekend plans?” He gave her a flummoxed expression leaving Rey to wonder if anyone had asked him that question  before . 

“You know, the stuff you do between 5 pm Friday and 8:30 am Monday?” Rey prompted with a smirk. 

“I know when the weekend is,” he groused. “I don’t really do much, I suppose. Sometimes I go for a longer run or meet my mother for brunch, or she’ll insist on a family dinner if my father is in town.”

Rey frowned. "No friends to hang out with then?” The words flew from her mouth  before  she could stop herself. “I’m not saying you don’t have friends, I just -“ 

Ben stopped her. “I don’t have many friends,” he replied. 

“Oh,” Rey breathed, her shoulders falling as the weight of his words hit her. 

Another quiet moment passed. 

“It’s not a big -“ Ben started again

At the same time, Rey had begun to speak. “I can be your friend if you’d like.”

His expression at her words went from surprised to puzzled to something that resembled relief. He nodded a few times, smiling enough to show the faint trace of his dimples. “I’d really like that, Rey.” 

“So now that we’re friends, you have to let me take you to lunch sometime,” Rey insisted as they walked back to the office together after their meal. 

“You don’t need to do that,” Ben answered immediately. Rey’s face fell and he spoke again, “I don’t mean having lunch with me, I’d like that, I meant the taking me to lunch. You don’t have to pay me back.” 

Satisfied, Rey smiled. “Well, I’d still like to,” she explained. “Have you tried the tacos from the truck outside our office?” She asked. 

Ben made a brief face. “Food trucks aren’t my thing, I’ve never desired to eat at one.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Rey asked in disbelief. “Food trucks are amazing! We're getting tacos next week. I won’t let you say no.” She gave him a hard stare, daring him to challenge her. 

“If you insist,” he sighed, a hint of a smile forming on his face. 

“I do,” Rey replied returning the smile herself.

Rey didn’t see Ben again that afternoon. The marketing department called her up to assist with promotional materials for an upcoming book launch. It wasn't unusual to have another department borrow her for help when needed, and she enjoyed the opportunity to learn the entire publishing process. By the time she returned to her desk, his office was dark. An unexpected wave of disappointment hit Rey. 

Brushing her feelings aside, she took advantage of the lull in her schedule to finish editing the file for Amilyn. 

A few updates later, she confirmed that the correct attachment had uploaded, and sent off the email.

**To: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyjackson98@coruscant.net>**

**Subject: Requested File**

Dear Amilyn,

Attached you will find the draft I promised to send this afternoon. 

Please let me know if you need anything else!

Thanks again.

Rey 

Returning her focus to her actual job, she opened her work email. One new message was waiting for her: a reply from Ben to their previous email thread. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks**

Rey,

I enjoyed our lunch today. Thank you again for accompanying me. I am looking forward to getting tacos next week. 

Have a nice weekend. 

Ben

Rey shook her head, blushing as she typed her response. 

**To: Ben Solo <bensolo@resistancepublishing.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson** **< reyjackson@resistancepublishing.com>**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks**

Ben,

I enjoyed our lunch today as  well . You don’t need to thank me, I enjoyed it and I can't wait to  introduce you to the best tacos ever. They are life-changing, so you can thank me for that next week instead. 

I realized that I should probably give you my number in light of our new friendship.

Feel free to text anytime. 

212.555.8684 

See you Monday!

Rey

Five minutes  later  her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. 

** 212.555.3497: You can text me anytime too. See you Monday.  **

Rey saved Ben’s number to her contacts, a soft grin playing across her lips.

She could no longer deny it. Rey Jackson maybe wanted to be more than just friends with Ben Solo. 

****

Ben had been minutes from heading home when his mother had texted for him to stop by and visit her. Whenever possible, he liked to finish  early  on Friday afternoons. He'd spend the entire week ensuring that he stayed caught up on his work so he could leave the office by three pm. 

It wouldn't surprise him in the least if his mother knew this, and that was  precisely  why she had chosen 2:57 pm to send her message. 

With a resigned sigh, he sent her a response. 

Taking the elevator up to the next floor, he walked the long hallway until he reached the door leading to Leia Organa’s expansive corner office. 

“I heard you went to lunch with Rey Jackson today,” she mentioned casually, her expression neutral, as he entered the room. 

Sighing, he placed his hands on his head. “Is that the only reason you wanted me to come up here? You could’ve done your prying over text.” 

“Why does a Mother need an excuse to visit with her only son? We work together and I rarely see you outside of whatever meal I can guilt you into attending on Sundays." She directed a pointed stare towards him.

“Considering that you opened with asking about my lunch with Rey, I’m not sure I believe that you only called me up here to visit,” Ben replied. He took a seat in one of the chairs opposite the desk and stretched his long legs in front of him. “It was just a thank-you lunch, by the way, no need to worry that I’m corrupting the interns.” 

“Really, Benjamin. Quit being difficult.” Leia shook her head in exasperation. “A thank you for what?” 

“Greedo’s latest chapter has been a massive headache to edit. She gave it a look over and fixed something that finally got us moving forward again in the editing process.” Ben explained with a shrug. “It was right before our lunch break, so I took her to TaunTaun’s.” He didn’t mention that she had invited him to lunch the following week. Though surely he’d be hearing from his mother whenever she heard that information  too . 

“Well,” Leia began with a smile. “You couldn’t ask for a better lunch date. Rey’s a delight.”

“Yes, well, if we’re done with the interrogation, I’d like to get home,” Ben said as he stood. 

Leia chuckled and shook her head. “Very well, Benjamin. If I don’t see you before, we’re still on for brunch Sunday at 10:30 sharp.” 

He gave a single nod and turned to leave, but  not  before noticing the triumphant smirk on his Mother’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I forgot to mention it in my first chapter notes, I'm on Twitter! Come say hi if you'd like - I'm GreyWilde27 there :) 
> 
> Also, fun fact, I use actual locations in NYC as inspiration for places in the story. For example, Resistance Publishing is located in the building where real-life publishing company Penguin Randomhouse has its offices. Tauntaun, where Ben takes Rey to for lunch is based on an actual Indian restaurant, Bengal Tiger, and Maz's Cafe is where Partner's Cafe is located near the NYU campus. Google maps and I have spent a lot of time together. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading along! Chapter three should be posted later this week!


	3. The Start of Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night out with friends, more emails with Amilyn, and a second lunch date with Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, again, for all of the support! The timeline starts moving along a bit faster in this chapter. I'm using a single centered asterisk to indicate a bigger time jump (four in a row will still indicate a POV change, though this chapter is entirely in Rey's so you won't see any here). Hopefully, that isn't too confusing, I may change it later if it doesn't work and I will let you know if I do.
> 
> CW/TW for mention of a drunk driving related minor offscreen character death. If you wish to skip that part, ignore the paragraph directly after this line: 
> 
> “Right,” Rose noted with a sad smile. “I should probably make sure those four don’t get into too much trouble just yet.”

Oga’s Cantina was loud and packed, which wasn't unusual for a Friday evening when the crowds began to pour into the small establishment near the SOHO district. Rose, Kaydel, and Jess were there waiting when Rey arrived, they’d commandeered a large table and had drinks in hand. After greeting them with hugs, she took her wallet to the bar to open a tab and order one of Oga’s famous signature drinks. She returned to the table with her margarita inspired Outer Rim cocktail in hand a few minutes later, thrilled to see two more familiar faces. 

“There’s our girl!” A familiar voice called. Finn Storm was another of Rey, Rose, and Kaydel’s NYU friends. He had graduated the same year as Rose and currently worked as a software engineer. Rose and Finn had become friends during their freshman year and she had introduced him to Rey and Kaydel. Rey and Finn had instantly bonded over their similar upbringing, having both grown up in the foster care system in England.

Finn had met Poe Dameron at a nightclub two years prior. They started dating right away and moved in together after Finn graduated. Poe was a marketing manager at Resistance and had been the one to suggest applying for the internship to Rey. 

“I heard you were up in my department today,” Poe wrapped her into a welcoming hug. 

“I stopped by your office to say hello, but you weren’t there,” she replied with a fake scold. Marketing was on a different floor, so they didn't cross paths often, but she tried to pop in a say hello whenever she had an excuse. 

“We had a conference with Zorii Bliss’ team, her book release is set to launch before the holidays,” Poe explained. Zorii was one of Resistance Publishing’s biggest clients, her second book was due to hit shelves in the next few months after the successful release of her debut novel two years ago. 

“I’ll forgive you this once,” Rey teased, hugging Finn  before  easing into the chair next to Kaydel. 

Finn and Poe excused themselves to go get their drinks at the bar, leaving Rey alone with her roommates. 

Rose turned to Rey with a curious expression on her face. “Did you hear from the owner of Passion and Prose?” she asked. 

“She emailed this morning,” Rey answered with a smile. “She loved the first chapter but wanted to see more. I emailed her that scene you helped me write last night this afternoon just before I left work.” 

“Ooh, naughty. Sending smut at work!” Jess teased as she took a sip of her drink. “Seriously though, I’m so excited for you.” 

“You’ll have to let us know what she says when you hear back. I am one hundred percent invested in this now.” Kaydel informed her. 

“Naturally,” Rey replied as though it were the most obvious answer. “Can I ask you guys a favor though?”

“Anything,” Jess assured her. 

Rey glanced around to make sure Poe and Finn hadn’t returned. “Can we keep it just between the four of us? I’m not ready for everyone to know. Plus I work with Poe and we all know how much he talks.”

“Say no more.” Kaydel nodded, making the motion of zipping her lips with a wink. 

After the second round of drinks, they reached a unanimous decision to move on to another spot. Heading from  the crowded bar, they gathered on the sidewalk. The skies had darkened, illuminated by the lights of the city. Rey paused to take in the sounds of laughter and music surrounding her. 

“You okay?” she turned to see Rose staring at her with concern. “You spaced out a bit there,” she went on to explain. 

Rey shook her head in response. “No, no. I’m fine,” she assured her, stifling a yawn. “That early morning is catching up to me though.” 

“If you want to head back early, I’ll split an Uber with you,” Rose offered. “I’m exhausted too, I don’t think I’ll last as long as those guys,” she motioned to Finn, Poe, Jess, and Kaydel.

“Fair enough,” Rey agreed. “Why don’t we try and hang for a little bit longer though.”

“Right,” Rose noted with a sad smile. “I should probably make sure those four don’t get into too much trouble just yet.” 

Rey gave the shorter girl an understanding look. Rose had been a sophomore when her older sister Paige, a junior at UCLA, had  been killed  in a drunk driving accident. Ever since, Rose had been the protective one of the group, ensuring they all stayed safe during when they were out drinking. 

“Come on you two, we’re heading to The SoundMound!” Kaydel called. She had taken Jess’s hand and was pulling the other girl down the sidewalk with Finn and Poe following close  behind . 

Rose wiped her eyes and nodded towards their group. “I’m good, let's go,” she reassured Rey. Her face twisted into a grimace, “did she just say SoundMound?”

“Of course its Karaoke,” Rey groaned. “This was completely Kaydel’s idea.” 

“Kaydel and Poe, I’m sure,” Rose added. 

The two of them loved dragging the rest of the group to karaoke and forcing everyone to get up and sing. Rey didn’t necessarily hate singing, and she wasn’t bad at it either. What she did hate was getting up in front of other people. With any luck, she and Rose would have a good excuse to leave before Kaydel and Poe convinced them to get up on stage. 

The modern interior of The SoundMound was a stark contrast to the warm rustic tones of Oga’s. Dark walls and floors complemented the polished chrome details, the clean lines of the black and silver furniture matched the futuristic theme of the space. Strategically placed LED lighting provided bursts of bold color that changed patterns with the music that played. 

Poe and Kaydel found a table near the stage that wasn’t big enough for the six of them, but they’d make do. You  couldn’t be picky on a Friday evening at one of NYC’s hottest karaoke bars. 

“If I buy all your drinks for the rest of the night, will your promise to duet with me, Rey my sunshine?” Poe begged with a pouty lip. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “That’s going to take a lot of drinks.” 

“One thousand percent worth it,” he insisted. 

“I’ll take a lavender martini while I consider it,” Rey sighed as Poe whooped in excitement and turned towards the bar. “I said consider!” she called after him. 

It took two drinks after the lavender martini for Rey to give in and agree. Kaydel had been up on stage twice: once alone to sing Halsey’s “You Should Be Sad”, and a second time with Poe where they performed a duet of “Shallow”. Poe had been suggesting song ideas since he had returned with her first drink. After some back and forth, they had agreed on Meghan Trainor and John Legend’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You”. 

Taking the stage when it was their turn, Rey grabbed a mic and gave Poe and exasperated grin. The DJ introduced them and their song choice as the opening notes of the song came over the sound system. Rey closed her eyes and began to sing the familiar lyrics. When Poe joined, she had lost most of her nervousness, tackling the vocal runs with  more  accuracy than she should’ve, considering the amount of alcohol she'd had. 

“Duet with me now!” Kaydel begged when Poe and Rey had returned to their table.

“Next time, Kay,” Rey promised. Her energy was waning fast, and judging by Rose’s expression she could tell she wasn't the  only  one ready to call it a night. 

“I think Rose and I were planning to head out soon, we were both up early,” Rey explained as Rose confirmed with a thankful sigh and a nod. 

“I’ll order us an Uber.” Rose pulled her phone from her purse and began searching through the app. “There’s one a few minutes away, is that good?”

Rey hummed in agreement, and the two made their way  around  the table to say goodbye. Finn assured them that he would make sure the rest of the group made it home safe. 

*

Monday morning came  quickly . 

Outside of her two shifts at Maz’s cafe, Rey had spent the weekend refreshing her email and fighting with writer’s block to write the second chapter of her story. 

Now, back at her desk, she forced those thoughts aside and convinced herself to quit checking her phone. Ben had asked her to look at another chapter, and it had taken her ten minutes to make it through the first two sentences. 

She chastised herself for being ridiculous and attempted to turn her focus back to her job. That lasted until a faint buzz came from her phone. After she spent approximately twenty-six  seconds resisting the urge to look, Rey caved and reached across her desk to turn on the screen. 

A reply from Amilyn was waiting. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net** **> **

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**Subject: Requested Files**

Rey,

I read over the additional scene you submitted this weekend. I’ll be honest, it needs some work. I hope it isn't  too much of an overstep to assume that you haven't had much experience in this area of writing? 

Overall you are a strong writer, and I believe you will be a strong asset to the P&P family. I'd encourage you to continue reading erotic scenes, find what styles you like best, and work on writing for practice. You'll be working one on one with an editor throughout for support and guidance as well. 

I’d love to meet with you over lunch to go over the contract. Please send me the days and times that work for you.

Until next time,

Amilyn 

Rey had known that her erotic scene wasn't perfect, and reading Amilyn's confirmation that she needed practice had her in a slight panic until she reached the second paragraph. With relief, Rey clicked reply and typed a response.

**To: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**Subject: Re: Requested Files**

Amilyn,

Thank you so much for your feedback. 

You are correct in recognizing that I have no experience in writing erotic scenes. I will continue to practice and have full confidence that I will be able to match the skill in that area to the rest of my writing. 

I  would love to meet you for lunch. My available dates this week are Wednesday through Friday from 12:15 to 1:15 pm. 

Thank you again for this opportunity,

Rey Jackson

She didn’t get to set her phone back down before a response arrived. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**Subject: Lunch**

Rey,

Let's plan on Wednesday at 12:25 pm at the Bantha Cafe on 56th. 

Look for a tall woman with lilac, you can’t miss me. 

See you soon, 

Amilyn 

Rey sent a final message and put her phone back in her purse beneath her desk. Relieved that she could push that distraction to the back of her head, she returned to reading through the chapter that she was way overdue to send back to Ben. 

It was fortunate for her that he didn’t seem to notice. 

A half an hour passed after she sent the edited file back, and she had yet to hear a single word from him. Tapping her fingers on the desk, she glanced towards his office. 

Rey could’ve emailed, or texted, but she found herself in his doorway, staring at the man in question. “I emailed my notes back, did you get them?”

It wasn't an excuse to see him, she told herself. Nope. 

Ben raised his eyes to meet hers, an unreadable expression on his face. “I just got them, thanks.” He turned back to his computer screen, his silent dismissal all but obvious. 

“Great, um, I’ll just go back to my desk.” Rey could feel her stomach in her throat. Maybe she had misunderstood, and Ben wasn’t looking for friendship after all. 

Confused, she returned to her desk, fishing the earbuds from her purse and plugging them into her phone. Rey pulled up a Spotify playlist and escaped into the comforting sounds of her favorite music as she returned to work. 

A ping interrupted during the third song. Looking down, Ben’s name flashed across the screen. 

**Ben: I didn’t mean to blow you off a few minutes ago**

**Ben: I’ve spent the morning dealing with former coworker drama**

**Ben: I’m sorry**

She felt silly to have jumped to conclusions and wrote a reply. 

_Rey: I understand, thanks for letting me know. Don’t worry about it_

**Ben: Oh good. I didn’t want to mess up this whole friends thing in the first week**

_Rey: You didn’t_

_Rey: Are we still on for Tacos tomorrow?_

**Ben: Of course. I’ve been looking forward to it since Friday.**

_Rey: Me_ _too_ _:)_

*

“What kind of name is At At?” Ben quipped as they stood in line for tacos the following afternoon. 

Rey let  out  an exasperated breath. “It’s A-T, A-T. Short for Alberto Torres’ Amazing Tacos.”

“Huh,” Ben snorted in response. Rey followed his gaze to the obvious signs of aging on the  brightly  colored truck, noting how his nose wrinkled as he observed the rust spots and dented side panel. 

“Are you going to be critical the whole time?” Rey sighed, putting her hands on her hips. “I still don’t understand how you’ve never eaten from a food truck before.”

“I’ve never seen the point when I can go into a restaurant and sit down and enjoy a perfectly good meal,” he confessed with a shrug of his shoulders. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Please, some of the best food comes from trucks.”

“I guess I’ll find out then,” Ben replied with a small grin. “What do you recommend?”

“Everything is amazing. I usually get the street tacos with carne asada, but their burritos are to die for.” Rey explained gesturing in a wide motion at the large printed menu above the order and pickup windows. 

She watched as he contemplated the choices, enjoying the way his brow furrowed when he concentrated.

“I’ll try a chicken burrito then.” Ben decided as they were next in line. 

“Great choice,” Rey approved as she approached the small window and ordered Ben’s burrito, along with three street tacos, and two bottles of water. 

With their food in hand, Rey led Ben up 8th avenue towards Columbus Circle. Central Park bustled with the lunchtime crowds enjoying their midday break. Finding a place to sit proved difficult until Ben spotted an empty bench hidden next to a large bush. 

“Thanks again, for lunch,” he offered as Rey handed him the thick foil-wrapped burrito after they had taken their seats. 

She stared as he peeled back the wrapping and lifted it to his mouth to take the first bite. The enormous size appeared small in his huge hands. Rey shut down _that_ train of thought immediately. 

Distracting herself with her lunch, she cleared her throat. “You’re welcome. Is it as good as I promised?”

Ben swallowed, wiping his hand across his mouth, catching the little bit of sour cream that sat above his lip. “It’s not bad.” 

“Not bad? Not bad!” Rey gasped in disbelief. “That is a burrito from the gods!” 

His eyes lit up and he laughed. “I’m giving you a hard time, Rey, it’s fantastic. I think you’ve converted me to food trucks. Or at least, this particular food truck.” 

“Jerk,” Rey grumbled. “I know where all the good food trucks in the area are and now you’ve made it my mission to make you try every single one.” she punctuated the last few words with a poke to his arm. 

He shrugged away, acting offended, but Rey could still see the smile on his face. With a sigh, he settled back against the bench. “It doesn’t sound like I have a choice now.” 

She fixed him with a smug expression. “Nope, not at all.”

“We should probably head back,” Ben noted, glancing down at the black watch on his wrist. 

“Right,” Rey agreed. 

Ben gave her a soft smile and a nod “Thanks again, Rey." 

“Anytime, Ben,” she replied. 

*

Rey hadn’t stopped to change from her work attire when she returned home that evening. She had thrown her coat and purse on the rack, grabbed her laptop, and curled into her chair by the window to write. The words were coming faster than she could type. It was the first chapter she had an explicit scene planned for, and thoughts of a tall, broad, dark-haired man with impossibly big hands refused to leave her mind. 

The male lead in her story, Ryder Knight, didn’t have a solid physical description. When she had started the outline a few years ago, she’d pictured him as one of the Chrises in her head. Now, all she envisioned was Ben. Ben with his unconventionally handsome face, his impossibly soft looking hair, and those hands. 

Rey wondered when she’d developed a hand fetish. 

“Working on your story?” Jess asked when she and Kaydel walked through the door. 

Rey paused and looked up. “I just finished up the first draft of chapter three, and the first explicit scene that I wrote by myself,” she replied proudly. 

“Ooh, our little Rey is writing her own sex scenes now, Jess!” Kaydel cooed. “I’m so proud.” 

“Let us read it!” Jess demanded as she beckoned for the laptop. Rey passed over the device, watching in amusement as Jess and Kaydel squished together on the couch to look at the screen. 

“HE EATS HER OUT IN THE FUCKING MARKET!” Kaydel yelled with excitement. “Oh my god, Rey, that’s so hot.” 

“Oral hate sex, I love it.” Jess approved. 

“You’re really getting detailed with the description of this Ryder guy, huh,” Kaydel smirked as she arched her brow. “Is this based on anyone you know? You’re very thorough.”

“Extremely,” Jessica added for emphasis. “I think you described his hands in at least five different places, you might want to take a few of those out. Unless you’re going for some sort of hand fetish.”

Rey blushed. She'd been focused on Ben's hands  more  than she'd realized. “Right, I’ll fix that. I didn’t realize I'd added more than a couple in.” 

Jess handed her back the laptop with a smirk. “Are you going to show Amilyn this chapter at your lunch tomorrow?” 

“She may be casual and on board with smut, but I’m not giving her an explicit scene to read during our semi-business lunch,” Rey snorted, giving Jess a pointed stare. “I’ll offer to email it to her though.” 

Jess shrugged as though to say suit yourself, and followed Kaydel into their room to change. Rey returned to her corner chair of the living room, and read through her latest chapter twice more, catching the extra references to Ben’s, _Ryder’s_ , she mentally corrected herself, large hands. 

This might be a problem. 

She took another glance through her draft finding other familiar descriptions; dark wavy hair, a face scattered with moles, endless brown eyes, a tall and broad frame, and, _oh shit_ , plush lips.

Yep. This was  _definitely_ a problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the most part, I have specific SW universe inspired naming themes that I'm using: transportation for food trucks, planets for bars, animals for restaurants. There are a few exceptions to this, however, like using Oga's as a nod to Galaxy's Edge at the Disney parks. 
> 
> The Karaoke scene is 100% inspired by the video of Daisy and Oscar singing together.
> 
> As always, you can find me on Twitter @ greywilde27 :)


	4. Meetings and Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey meets with Amilyn for lunch. Later she hears from her editor for the first time and things get off to an interesting start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bring on the Kira and Kylo interaction!
> 
> As always, thanks for all of your support! I am having such a fun time reading your comments and it makes me happy that so many people are enjoying this story!

Rey entered the Bantha Cafe and scanned the room for, in Amilyn’s words, a tall woman with lilac hair. She spotted her sitting at a table next to a window and made her way across the gleaming wooden floor. 

“You must be Rey!” Amilyn stood and smiled broadly as she rose to greet her. 

Rey took the older woman’s hand in a firm shake. “It’s so nice to meet you.” 

“You as well, my dear,” Amilyn agreed, motioning for Rey to take a seat. “Thank you for joining me for lunch. I love getting to do this in person for a change, so many of my authors live out of the area.” 

“Of course, thank you for inviting me,” Rey replied as she sat and tucked the cloth napkin into her lap. 

“How is your internship going at Resistance?” Amilyn inquired once they were both settled. 

“It’s going well, I’m only a couple of months in but I am enjoying it and learning so much,” Rey answered. 

Amilyn smiled in response. “That’s so great to hear, it’s a wonderful company. Leia is a great publisher, isn’t she?” 

“She is,” Rey agreed before adding, “Jannah mentioned that you used to work there.” 

“I did. I was an editor for almost two decades, and then five years ago I decided that it was time to get out and travel. Start a new chapter, so to speak.” Amilyn took a sip of water and continued. “After a year of seeing the world and writing for myself, I came up with the idea for Passion and Prose, and that’s been my focus ever since then.” 

Rey grinned. “That sounds like a good reason. I’d love to hear more about your travels sometime.” 

Amilyn's eyes lit up and she began to share a story from Prague until their server arrived. 

With their order placed, Amilyn turned the conversation back to Passion and Prose. She pulled a few sheets from her briefcase and placed them in front of Rey. “These are our standard author contracts, nothing too fancy or restrictive, but it protects both our site and your writing,” She explained. “Take a moment to read them over, and please ask if you have any questions.” 

Rey scanned the papers in silence. Nothing appeared problematic or confusing so she signed each necessary line, and slid the papers back across the table. 

“It all sounds fine to me,” Rey assured her as Amilyn slipped the papers back into her briefcase for safekeeping as their waiter arrived with their food. 

  
They continued to discuss writing for the site while they ate. As Jannah had explained earlier, Amilyn assured Rey that she kept the confidentiality of her author's identities a secret, and confirmed that Leia would be supportive if she chose to tell her. Rey had been on the fence over whether she would want Leia to know but had decided against it. Her main reason being Ben. Ben who edited historical war novels and crime thrillers and had expressed on a few occasions how glad he was that his job didn't involve reading any romance novels. She could imagine his reaction if he were to discover that she wrote on the side for an erotic website, and decided to keep it amongst her small group of friends for now. 

"Did you have a pseudonym in mind for the site yet?" Amilyn asked as they finished their lunch. 

Rey worried her lower lip with her teeth as she thought it over. “I wrote a character named Kira Kenobi as a teen, I suppose I could use that.” 

“That’s perfect, I’ll get your author account set up tonight and email you the log-in credentials,” Amilyn explained. 

“Did you need anything else from me? I have been practicing more erotic writing, and I have an outline as well.” Rey asked after a moment. 

“Good! I’m glad to hear it! You have so much potential. I know it’s hard to get the right tone for erotic prose, especially just starting, but as I said in my email - it shouldn’t take much to get the hang of it,” Amilyn said with an encouraging smile. “If you wanted to send me the outline you can, but other than that what you’ve already provided is fine.” 

Rey nodded in understanding. Her phone buzzed with the alarm she had set as a reminder to start heading back to the office and she gave Amilyn an apologetic look. “I’m just about at the end of my break.” 

“Say no more, I understand.” Amilyn waved her off. “I’ll send you the rest of the information through email later. You can always let me know if you have any further questions too, I’m here to help.” 

“Thank you so much for everything,” Rey said as she stood to put her coat back on. “It was so nice to meet you.”

Amilyn stood and pulled her into a quick hug. “You as well, my dear! Give Leia a hello for me if you see her.”

With a final goodbye, Rey headed for the door and back towards the busy sidewalk. 

Ben’s face bore a subtle smirk as she rushed towards her desk a few minutes past her lunch hour. His tall frame leaning against the glass panel of the outside of his office. 

“Oh like you’ve never run over on a lunch break before,” Rey snorted, rolling her eyes at him. 

“I wasn’t going to say a thing.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. 

“Did you need me for anything?” Rey asked after she clocked back into work. Adding a silent _please_ in her head. 

“Not at the moment, no,” He replied. “I was returning to my office when I saw you come racing down the hall from the elevators. I wanted to make sure you weren’t being chased or something.” His resolve had crumbled and she could hear the tremor in his voice as he attempted  not  to laugh. 

“I don’t know why I’m friends with you.” She crossed her arms over her chest giving him an exaggerated petulant frown. 

“I don’t know either,” He replied retreating into his office and shutting the door. 

Rey threw her head back and made a sound of exasperation. 

Knocking on his door would draw attention, so she decided to steal a page from his playbook and text him an apology instead. 

_Rey: I’m sorry, Ben. I meant what I said as a joke and I like being your friend._

A few minutes passed and her phone vibrated.  ****

**Ben: You don’t need to apologize. I overreacted and I enjoy being your friend as** **well.  **

_Rey: Glad we got that cleared up :)_

_Rey: I was thinking we should try another food truck this week. How do burgers sound for lunch_ _tomorrow? _ ****

**Ben: I’ll consider it**

_Rey: Sounds good. Let me know when you decide, k?_ ****

**Ben: Alright**

Rey looked over at his office and smiled. 

_Rey: Is it weird that we are texting when we're eight feet_ _apart? _ ****

**Ben: Technically ten feet, and a frosted glass wall**

_Rey: You know what I mean_ ****

**Ben: I suppose a little. We have work to do though, so I don’t think it would be wise for someone to catch us chatting over your desk**

_Rey: Yeah yeah, quit making sense. I’ll let you get back to work. I’m_ _very_ _busy too, you know._ ****

**Ben: Sure you are, Rey.**

She put her phone back in her purse with a laugh.

****

Ben’s two-bedroom, one and a half bathroom apartment corner unit sat on the twenty-third floor of a two-tower, thirty-story building built in the late 1930s. His unit had  been remodeled  a few years ago with dark wood floors, subtle grey walls, and a chef’s kitchen that looked as though it came from a home decor magazine. The tall windows in both his living area and bedroom looked out over sweeping views of Central Park and the iconic cityscape. It had cost a good portion of the trust fund from his mother's parents, but it was worth every penny.

He’d planned to have a relaxing evening: pour a glass of whiskey, order in dinner, and catch up on his DVR. Instead, he headed to his office to sit in front of the sleek iMac that dominated the large desk. His quiet evening plans  changed  the second his Godmother had emailed him that afternoon. 

After the huge scandal that followed his abrupt departure from First Order Publishing, few people had trusted Ben Solo. Including most of his own family. It had been his Auntie Ami who had extended the first olive branch and offered Ben a job when no one else in the publishing industry wanted to touch him. He’d been reluctant, but knowing it might be his best option for some time, he agreed. 

That had been three years ago, and though he’d reconciled with his parents and had gone to work for his mother, he felt indebted to his Godmother who had given him such an important second chance. 

He wouldn’t admit it to anyone if asked, but Ben Solo didn’t mind editing erotic stories on his Godmother’s smutty fiction website.  ****

**To: Ben Solo <** **benossolo@coruscant.net** **>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <** **amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**Subject: New Author**

My Dear Godson,

I hired a new author for Passion and Prose this week and I think that she will be a good fit for you. Her story is similar to those space battle shows you pretend you don't love as much as you do. 

I’ve added her to your account on the site and included the first chapter, a writing sample of an erotic scene, and her outline. Please reach  out  to her at your earliest convenience. 

Thanks, Ben!

Love, 

Aunt Ami

Ben logged into his account and opened the attachments to read through the writing samples. The first chapter featured solid writing and an intriguing premise but needed editing. Her outline for the rest of the story showed promise of an exciting plot. He noticed a few discrepancies and made some questioning remarks for clarification. When he had gotten to the last piece, a one-page sex scene, things had taken a sharp turn downhill.

He didn’t think it was possible to use every known cliche in a single erotic scene, and dialogue so awkward that he had physically cringed at one point. Whoever this Kira Kenobi was, she had little if any experience writing smut and he was sure to mention that in his notes. 

After he had sent his edits, along with a message, back to Kira, he immediately began typing another email. 

**To: Amilyn Holdo <** **amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**From: Ben Solo <** **benossolo@coruscant.net** **>**

**Subject:** **Really** **…**

Aunt Ami,

Did you read the sex scene that the new author you hired for P&P wrote? 

I’ll admit that her first chapter and the outline look fine. It is a good change from the usual cliched storylines. However, I have serious concerns regarding her ability to write good smut and I can  only  perform so many miracles. 

As your godson, I’m asking, begging really, for you to reconsider having her work with me. 

Ben 

****

“What a jerk!” Rey yelled into the empty living room. 

She had logged into Passion and Prose for the first time since receiving her login credentials, and there had been a message from her editor waiting. Her excitement began to vanish as she started to read. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Your Story**

Kira, 

I received your writing samples this evening. As your assigned editor, I have taken the liberty of inserting my feedback within the documents, you will find the updated files attached. 

While the premise of your story is intriguing, I am concerned that you are unable to grasp the caliber of writing that our readers expect from Passion and Prose. Your ability to write erotic scenes is a particular concern of mine. 

Regretfully, it isn't my decision who gets to publish on the site so I will try and do my best to work with what you give me. 

I will be voicing my concerns to Ms. Holdo if I feel that your work fails to show enough improvement through editing to reach the standard our readers expect. 

Please review my edits and submit the updated drafts within two days. 

Kylo Ren

After reading through the edits he made in her first chapter, Rey found herself annoyed. While he had been correct that many things needed work, his tone was nauseatingly condescending. 

When she got through his notes on the sex scene, she was seeing red. Many of his comments were simple things she had overlooked and would have expected to read from any editor, but some were downright cruel. One, in particular, a small note near the bottom of her passage read: _Have you done this_ _before? I have my doubts.  _

Collecting herself, she opened the messaging page and typed a response. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Your Editing**

Dear Kylo,

I had a chance to go over your editing notes. Overall _some_ were helpful, and I will consider making those suggested changes. However, I need to address a disgusting comment you wrote on one of my drafts. 

Let me be clear, my sexual experience is none of your concern and for you to question me on such a personal matter is beyond inappropriate. 

I don't feel comfortable working with someone who finds it acceptable to make such comments and will be emailing Amilyn Holdo to request a new editor, and expressing my concerns regarding your behavior.

Sincerely, 

Kira Kenobi 

She hit the send button with a sharp jab of her index finger and set the laptop on the side table. 

“Are you serious?” Jess gasped as Rey read them the first message she had received from 

Kylo when everyone had returned home that evening. “This guy sounds like an ass."

“That doesn’t even include his comments on my writing. Those are a hundred times worse,” Rey grumbled in response. 

“What kind of name is Kylo anyway?” Kaydel said, scrunching her nose in distaste. “He’s probably some creep who took the job so he could get off to smut and hit on female authors.”

“Let's not jump there yet, Kay,” Rose reminded her with a gentle tone. 

“You might reconsider that after you read his notes on the sex scene.” Rey pulled the file with Kylo’s edits included up on her laptop, and gave it to her roommates to look. 

She watched as their eyes widened while they read. 

“I’m sorry, what?!” Rose joined the outrage after getting to the end of the page. “Did he really just question your sexual experience? That’s completely unacceptable and I hope you reported him.” 

“I should, I haven’t figured out how to word it yet,” Rey explained 

“Just be honest, and hopefully she’ll fire that guy and give you someone else to work with,” Jess replied. 

“He does have some good criticism in there though, and you have even admitted your erotic scenes need a ton of help,” Kaydel added after a moment. “It’s a shame he’s such a dick.” 

A murmur of agreement went through the group. 

Rey wrote to Amilyn that evening after she'd had time to think over her response. There had been no reply from Kylo yet, and she wasn't sure she that she cared to hear whatever excuse he had for his comments. With any luck, she would  soon  be working with a new editor. 

**To: Amilyn Holdo <** **amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**From: Rey Jackson <** **reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net** **>**

**Subject: My Editor**

Hello Amilyn, 

It is clear from my first interaction with Kylo that we won't be a good fit for one another. Also, I am uncomfortable with a comment he made on the sex scene I wrote where he questioned my personal experience. I feel like this is a major overstep and in no way appropriate. Is there another editor who might be a better choice? 

Thank You. 

Rey Jackson

She hit send and returned to her inbox. A new email was waiting from Passion and Prose, alerting her to a new message from Kylo. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: An Apology**

Kira,

I believe you misunderstood.

My comment wasn't directed towards your personal life, but rather your experience in writing erotic scenes. Looking over my edits on that particular page, I can see how you interpreted it as such.

Please accept my apology for the miscommunication. 

Kylo 

Rey’s first thought was relief that this Kylo person wasn’t some creep who abused his editing job to make inappropriate comments. 

Her second was that she needed to email Amilyn immediately.  ****

**To: Amilyn Holdo <** **amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**From: Rey Jackson <** **reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net** **>**

**Subject: Please disregard my last email!**

Amilyn,

I apologize for my last email. Kylo and I had a misunderstanding over the experience comment, and he has clarified that he didn't mean my personal experience - but my experience writing erotic scenes. I still have some concerns, but I'm open to giving him another chance as long as he can remain professional. 

Again, I am so sorry for involving you in this.

Sincerely,

Rey Jackson

****

Ben sat at his kitchen island, a glass of whiskey in one hand while he checked his phone with the other. Kira hadn't written him back yet after he’d realized their misunderstanding, and he was growing anxious. 

When he finished his drink, he gave up on refreshing the site. No new messages had arrived. Placing his glass in the sink, he placed his phone on the counter and walked to his room to get ready for bed. 

His evening routine didn’t take long. Ben stripped from his work clothes, tossing them towards the hamper in his closet, before brushing his teeth. He slipped into a pair of soft black sleep pants and a simple cotton tee and exited the room. 

An alert from his phone sounded as he was heading back towards the kitchen. Making the short walk across the apartment hallway, he grabbed the device from the counter and unlocked the screen. 

**To: Ben Solo <** **benossolo@coruscant.net** **>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <** **amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** **>**

**Subject: Yes Ben.** **Really.**

Benjamin,

I discovered an interesting set of messages in my inbox tonight. 

You, young man, are lucky that this was all resolved by the time I checked my email. 

That said, please make sure you are being mindful of your criticism in the future. I know you know this, but as your godmother, I’m going to remind you anyway. 

Kira mentioned that she is open to working with you and I hope that you will give her a second chance. You’re a great editor, Ben. When you and Kira get to know each other I am positive you will make a great team.

Also, I haven’t seen you in months. You’re having coffee with me sometime next week. No excuses. Send me your schedule. 

Love,

Aunt Ami

With a sigh, he checked the inbox on his Passion and Prose account one last time, unsurprised to find a new message from Kira. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Let’s Try Again**

Dear Kylo,

Thank you for clearing up the misunderstanding. I'd like to offer an apology of my own for jumping to the conclusion that I did. I have cleared up everything with Amilyn and have informed her that I am willing to continue to work with you as long as your comments remain professional.

I will have an updated draft of my first chapter ready in two days as requested with your edits in mind. 

Sincerely,

Kira

He pressed his palms against his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath of air, releasing it with a frustrated groan. Ben had worked with his share of difficult writers before, but no one had elicited such frustration from the start. It was clear they weren't going to make things easy on each other.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Re: Let’s Try Again**

Kira,

I'm glad that we’ve moved past that unnecessary drama, and I can ensure that our interactions will remain professional as we move  forward . In the future, I request that you allow time to discuss any issues with me first. 

Please send your updated draft by 7:00 pm EST on the date requested. My editing notes are  not  suggestions and I expect you to make the necessary changes to bring your story up to the standard our readers expect. 

Kylo

Ben closed out the website and headed back to his bedroom. 

Eager to focus on something else, his thoughts turned to Rey and her lunch invitation as he crawled under the sheets. Despite the late hour, he found himself typing a quick message and hitting send. 

_Ben: I’m sorry this is so late, but I thought you might want to know that I have an answer to your lunch invite_

The little bubbles of an incoming response appeared immediately, followed by her reply. 

**Rey: And?**

_Ben: Burgers sound great_

**Rey: Of course they do, I** **always** **have great ideas.**

_Ben: You do have a good track record going for picking out lunch spots_

**Rey: As if you had any doubts?** ****

_Ben: Only a few…_

_Ben: Have a good night, Rey, I’ll see you_ _tomorrow_

**Rey: You too, Ben** ****

**Rey: Thanks for agreeing to go to lunch with me, it made my night**

Her response gave him a smile that didn’t fade until after he had fallen asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I like to share actual locations I based things off of - Ben's apartment is located in a building at 115 Central Park West (I used Apt 23D from a Zillow real estate listing when visualizing the layout and the view. I made a few tweaks for the story and changed the interior look in my head though.)
> 
> Come say hello on Twitter! I'm GreyWilde27 there :)


	5. Family and Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben grow closer. Kira and Kylo continue to drive each other crazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally get a little hint of an E rating in this chapter! Not between Ben & Rey yet though, but I promise it is coming!
> 
> Thanks, as always, for the support!

Rey was in a foul mood.

She’d been messaging with Kylo for over a week. Their communication had improved while working on the first chapter but had quickly gone south again when she sent her draft of chapter two. 

Kylo wasn’t downright cruel, but at times he was brutally honest and overwhelmingly condescending. The former didn’t bother her as much, her writing wouldn’t improve without it, but the latter drove her through the roof. His insistence in following the most outdated rules and the refusal to budge on his holier-than-thou opinions were particularly grating. 

The previous evening had been one of their most heated conversations yet, and she’d found herself unable to shake her frustration.

“I don’t know if I should get in the middle of things, but you look like you’re ready to murder your computer,” Ben voiced with caution as he stepped across the hallway and stood at her desk. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Rey leaned back in her chair and turned to face him. “Roommate drama,” she lied. 

“I’m sorry,” he replied. 

“It happens, I’ll get over it.” Rey shrugged, unwilling to elaborate further. 

“Right, well, I just noticed you were off this morning and wanted to make sure there wasn’t something going on here that had caused it.”

“That’s really nice of you, I’ll be fine, I promise.” 

He gave her a small smile. “Lunch today? I was thinking of pizza. There’s that place down the street, Nexu, that has the good afternoon special.”

“Pizza sounds great,” Rey agreed with a small smile of her own. 

*

“Tell me about your favorite childhood memory.” 

Rey sat across the booth from Ben, they were currently sharing a New York-style pepperoni pizza while she bombarded him with various questions. 

Ben looked thoughtful for a moment. “I used to go flying with my Dad and his best friend Chewie. They’re pilots and my Dad was gone a lot growing up, so whenever he was in town long enough to take up his private plane, he’d bring me along.” 

“That sounds amazing.” Rey grinned. “I’ve only flown once when I came over from England to start at NYU.” 

“Do you miss your family over there? You never talk about them.” Ben observed. 

Rey felt the lump grow in her throat. Looking down at her plate, she attempted to hold back the tears that had suddenly threatened to fall. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to -“ he started to explain, his face full of concern. 

“It’s fine,” she interrupted him, looking back up with a sad smile. “I was around two years old when a grocery store worker found me wandering the aisles alone. No one came forward to claim me and I ended up in foster care.”

“Rey, I had no idea.” His face was full of anguish. “I shouldn’t have brought it up, especially since you’ve already been dealing with stuff today.” 

She shook her head and continued her story. 

“I hoped for years that they would come back for me. That it was all some huge misunderstanding. They never did.” Her voice began to tremble as she kept talking. “I was in and out of foster homes my entire life, they finally gave up on me when I was in my early teens. I was placed with this awful man, Unkar Plutt, who should never have been approved to foster anyone. He owned a junkyard in some rundown town named Jakku and forced me to work for free if I wanted to eat.” She stopped with a shuddering breath and wiped her hand across her tear-filled eyes. “Can we change the subject?” 

He nodded. “We can talk about anything you want.”

****

Ben couldn’t get her story out his head for the rest of the day. Images floated through his mind of a tiny little girl with big hazel eyes and freckles across her nose, crying alone amongst the shelves of canned goods, calling for her parents. He pictured Rey as a young teenager, hungry and alone sitting on piles of discarded trash as though she were nothing. It enraged and infuriated him, she was anything _but_ nothing. 

Growing up, he’d felt resentment towards his parents. His father was never home, his job as a private pilot had him off flying wealthy clients to all corners of the earth. His mother had been focused on getting Resistance off the ground and worked long hours. It wasn’t often that she would arrive home before Ben was tucked into bed for the evening by a nanny. 

When he reached his teens, he’d become bitter and angry and started acting out for attention. Especially as his parent’s relationship seemed to be off more often than it was on. 

It wasn’t until after he’d been kicked out of his second private prep school in the city that his parents had decided to send him upstate to live with his Uncle Luke. His mother’s twin brother was a hippie self-help guru who wrote books about _getting in touch with your inner guiding force_. Ben had been enrolled in another fancy school and forced to listen to his Uncle’s attempts to teach him to search within himself or whatever flowery bullshit he happened to be preaching at any given time. 

It had taken until his late twenties to start having a relationship with his parents - for them to attempt to talk over their issues. There had been some progress, but they still had a ways to go. 

*

“Hey, kid.” Han Solo’s gruff voice came through the other end of the phone. “I’ve got a question to ask you.” 

Ben sighed. “What’s up?” 

His father called him maybe twice a year, and it was never a good sign when he needed something. 

“I had a flight cancel this weekend and decided to head back early Sunday morning. Thought I’d surprise your Mom and show up at brunch. Where is she dragging you to these days?” 

“You want to willingly attend brunch?” Ben questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

“Come on Ben, I’m trying, work with me here,” his father responded with an exasperated tone. 

“Fine,” he relented. “I believe we have a table reserved at Ewok for 10:30 am, I’ll call and change our party to three.” 

“Thanks, kid. I owe you one,” Han replied. “Things going alright for you? Working with your Mother still going well?” 

“Yeah, yeah. They’re fine.” 

“Listen, that’s great. I’ve got to get back to things. See you Sunday.” 

The line went dead. Han Solo wasn’t one for long drawn out phone conversations. 

****

Rey was back to feeling the same anger and frustration of her morning, this time amplified by the emotions of the afternoon. She’d returned home from work, and started finishing the last of her edits to her second chapter. Reading through Kylo’s notes again had her seething. His smug little comments littered the page, saying things like: _I think you forgot how to use commas_ and _They have online thesauruses now, maybe consider reading one_. 

The man was beyond infuriating. 

Finishing up her latest draft, she attached it back to the message and replied.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 2, Edit 2**

Kylo,

It’s your lucky day, I figured out commas and found a thesaurus. 

Some of your suggestions were ridiculous and I ignored them. Otherwise, thanks for the help, I guess. 

Kira 

She had a response twenty minutes later with an updated copy of her draft attached. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 2, Edit 2 needs more work**

Kira,

While your second edit shows an improvement, several places still need work. Please consult the attached document and make the necessary changes. 

You may wish to ignore proper writing structure and grammar, but it causes your writing to appear sloppy and rushed.

I expect your updated edits before tomorrow evening. 

Best,

Kylo 

_Best._ Rey rolled her eyes at the ridiculous sign-off and closed the browser window. Finishing chapter two could wait until later. 

*

Jess and Kaydel were out for the night at a work event, leaving Rey and Rose to enjoy the peaceful quiet of their apartment. They’d each poured a large glass of wine and were digging into the reheated cartons of leftover Chinese spread across the coffee table. 

“You’re in a mood tonight,” Rose said observantly. 

Rey looked across the living room at her friend’s concerned face and shrugged. “It’s been one of those days.” 

“Want to talk about it?” she asked, taking another bite of fried rice. 

“I’ve been in a bad mood since dealing with Kylo last night. I guess that it was still obvious this morning at work because Ben noticed, so he took me to lunch and the subject of families came up. He asked if I missed mine and I ended up spilling my entire life story. Tonight I tried to work on my story and had to deal with Kylo again. It’s been a verifiable shit storm of emotions.” 

“Still going to lunch with Ben, huh?” Rose grinned. 

“That’s what you got from all of that?” Rey rolled her eyes. “Of course that’s what you got from that. We’re just friends, barely friends even.” 

“Uh-huh.” Rose didn’t look convinced. “You don’t tell _just barely_ friends about your past. Ever.” 

“He’s easy to talk to,” she argued before adding, “certainly easier than Kylo.”

“Well, Kylo’s a bit of a jerk, so that’s kind of a given,” Rose agreed. 

“Bit of a jerk is the understatement of the century. The guy thinks he’s some sort of professional editor, yet he works for an erotic fiction website.” Rey laughed and took a large sip of wine. 

Her plan to work on editing her story later that evening didn’t happen. Instead, she’d poured a second large glass of wine and opened the Passion and Prose website to catch up on a few of the stories she followed that had updated chapters in the last week. First was a Regency piece about a dashing Lord and the maid who had captured his heart. The entire chapter was smut from start to finish.

The next story on her read list was an office romance, and while the chapter started with everyone clothed it had quickly progressed to the main two characters going at it over a desk. Rose had already gone to sleep, and Jess and Kaydel would be out for at least another hour. Rey grabbed a blanket and threw it across her lap before slowly sliding her hand past the waistband of her leggings and underwear. Her fingers sought out her already wet core as she gently circled her clit. Rubbing gently, she continued to read through the scene, imagining the events taking place in real life. 

Her motions grew more and more frantic as she raced through the passage, chasing after her orgasm as it built. She reached the end of the chapter before she’d reached her own completion, and proceeded to push her laptop to the side. Throwing her head back with her eyes closed, she replayed the scene she had just read in her head. This time, she’d envisioned herself bent over the desk in that glass-enclosed office across the hall, with a certain tall, dark-haired editor pumping into her from behind, his large hands on her hips. 

_Ben._

She whimpered softly, his name barely a whisper on her lips as she came. 

****

Ben followed behind his Mother and the hostess to their table at Ewok for brunch that following Sunday morning. They passed by tables full of Manhattan’s most elite, dining on plates full of food and enjoying lively conversation over champagne glasses brimming with Mimosas. 

“There’s been a mistake,” Leia announced as they arrived at their table. “I made a reservation for two, not three.” 

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I’ll have someone come and clear a place setting right away,” the hostess assured her. 

Ben stepped in before the hostess could disappear. “It’s fine, there’s no rush to remove it,” he replied. His father had texted moments before and was only a block away. 

“Still, I will send someone out shortly,” the young woman stated. “Please do take a seat, for now, I’ll have your server out right away.” 

“Thank you.” Leia smiled politely as she sat, motioning for Ben to do the same. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket as soon as he’d pulled his chair towards the table. 

**Dad: Just arrived, I already feel out of place. Where are you?** ****

He typed out a quick response. 

_Ben: Straight back and to the right near the windows, Mom is in dark green._

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled as glanced back up to see his Mother’s disapproving glare. 

“We’re not even a full minute into our brunch together and you’re already bored enough to text someone else,” she scolded. 

“It was important, I -“ his words cut off by a familiar gruff voice. 

“I needed directions to find my way through this maze.” Han appeared at the table with a grin. “Surprise, sweetheart.” 

“Oh my god, you asshole!” Leia jumped to her feet and embraced her husband. “You told me yesterday that you weren’t going to be home until next weekend!” 

“My flight today was canceled, and I was able to get in this morning. Ben helped me set it up,” he explained proudly. 

“So the third place setting wasn’t a mistake,” Leia realized with a grin. “I should go let someone know.” 

“You sit Mom and catch up with Dad. I’ll go.” Ben found himself saying. He rose from his chair as his parents took their seats and his mom launched into an animated conversation, asking his father a hundred questions. 

He’d returned to the table after informing the hostess and apologizing for the confusion, to find that his Mother had ordered drinks for the table. 

“Well, now that everything is all settled, Ben, tell me about your week. I haven’t seen you around the office lately.” Leia took a sip of her Mimosa and gave him a pointed look. 

“Same old routine as usual,” Ben answered with a shrug. “You know I rarely have reason to be on your floor.” 

Leia scoffed. “Nice to know that I’m rarely a reason.” Her face hinted at a smile as she teased him. “I do believe you’ve had one change to your routine, lately, hmm. Have you told your father about your lunch breaks?” 

“Leia, leave the kid alone,” Han interjected, giving Ben a wink. 

“I have lunch with a coworker a couple of times a week, she works right outside my office, we’re just friends,” Ben explained with a sigh and turned to his mother fixing her with a glare. “You really do have spies everywhere.” 

“It’s my job to know everything.” Leia shrugged. “Especially when it concerns any possible chance of my getting grandbabies.” 

“Oh for fucks sake,” Ben groaned. 

“Language.” Leia chided as Han laughed. 

*

Later that afternoon, Ben found himself in his office, checking for updates on his Passion and Prose authors. Sending a silent plea into the universe that anyone _but_ Kira had sent him new edits, he watched as the page loaded. 

One new bolded message. From Kira. Just his luck. They’d finished chapter two a few days earlier and he was hoping to at least have another day or two before dealing with her again. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 3, First Draft**

Kylo,

Chapter three, as promised, and three days ahead of my deadline. 

Kira

Surprised at her short and polite message, he opened the file and began to read. It started off well, and he had been loath to admit that it was her best first draft so far. Until he reached the final scene.

_Racing through the crowds, Violet holds her staff firmly in one hand. She can hear the heavy footsteps closing in behind her. Ducking behind a display, she makes a frantic dash around a corner and finds herself trapped in a darkened alleyway. Before she can go back, he’s there. His dark imposing figure stands in the way of her only chance for escape._

_“Ryder,” she seethes, assuming a fighting position._

_“Running away from me, once again, little one?” his deep voice beneath the mask causes a chill to run through her body._

_“What do you want?” Violet asks, her eyes narrowing._

_Ryder advances on her slowly, and Violet backs further into the alleyway. “I just wanted to talk,” He replies simply._

_He continues to press forward until Violet realizes they are hidden deep within the shadows, far from the bustling crowds of the market._

_“We have nothing to talk about,” She growls, her stance becoming defensive once more as she raises her staff to fight. “Nothing you can say will ever change my mind.”_

_“We’ll see about that.” Ryder’s responding chuckle is dark._

_Violet scoffs. “You hide behind a mask, you’re a coward. I’ll never join you. Ever.”_

_Ryder lifts his hands to his head, and in a single smooth motion, removes the black and chrome helmet that shields his identity. She watches as he sets it down on top of a crate, and returns to gaze at her. His deep brown eyes staring unerringly into her own. “You feel it,” He says softly._

_“I do,” Violet whispers. Despite her conflict, she could not deny the bond that flowed between them. She knew that he could feel her, just as she could feel him. “You came here because you knew you would find me.”_

_He nods once in response and then takes another step closer. This time, she doesn’t back up. His hand reaches out and strokes the side of her face, running it down over her shoulder and arm to the hand still tightly gripping the staff. Gently he pries her fingers off, urging her to release it to the ground below. She complies, and he gives her a soft smile. “Good girl.”_

_“What are we doing?” Violet murmurs, as she steps into his embrace. After their last kiss, she had sworn to him and herself it would never happen again._

_“Fighting against this is futile.” Ryder leans his head down, cradling the back of her head in his large hands._

_She gives in to her screaming inner voice and rises on her tiptoes to meet him. Their lips meet in a frantic kiss. It’s bruising and passionate and everything she remembered. Slowly, he lifts her and places her on top of a pile of crates. His hands running up her thighs as he searches for the waistband of her beige leggings. Breaking the kiss, he looks at her for confirmation and she replies with a nod._

_“Ryder, please,” she whimpers as he slides her pants over her hips and down her legs._

_“Show me.” His voice is rough with a hint of emotion._

_She spreads her legs, leaning back on her arms as he lowers himself between her thighs. His gaze falls to her center just before he leans forward and she can feel his mouth on her._

_“More, Ryder, please,” she whines, grasping his thick locks in her hand as she desperately holds his head in place._

_He begins to lick her clitoris. After a moment he inserts his finger into her vagina and begins to pleasure her. Her cries grow louder as he continues to make her feel good. His tongue and finger working together to bring her to an orgasm._

_Ryder breaks away from her center briefly. His eyes meet hers in a smoldering gaze._

_She commits the moles scattered across his face to memory before he resumes his task at hand, his plush lips once again on her core._

_“It feels so good, you shouldn’t be able to make me feel this good,” Violet pants, finding it hard to talk as she is overcome._

_Moments later she is pushed over the edge as she comes. She collapses back onto the crate, staring up at the clear sky above her. Feeling the loss of Ryder’s presence between her thighs, she struggles to hear above the roaring in her ears as her heartbeat pounds in her head._

_When she finally lifts herself back up to face him, he’s nowhere in sight. The alley is empty and his mask is gone as if he’d never been there in the first place._

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Re: Chapter 3, First Draft**

Kira, 

Is this honestly all that you expect our readers to want out of a sex scene? 

_He begins to lick her clitoris. After a moment he inserts his finger into her vagina and begins to pleasure her. Her cries grow louder as he continues to make her feel good. His tongue and finger working together to bring her to an orgasm._

I’ll return my edits for the rest of the chapter by tomorrow evening. By then, I expect you to resubmit this paragraph with more details and less clinical terms. This is an erotic literature website, you sound like you’re trying to write a how-to guide for prude couples. 

The above scene aside, I admit this is your best chapter so far. 

Kylo

Ben shut off the computer and headed for the living room. He’d work on editing later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really struggled with this chapter, especially the sex scene in the market (yes, this is the same one Kaydel gets excited over in an earlier chapter) because Rey is supposed to be a good writer - but not very good at writing sex scenes, but she's still a good writer. It was tricky to figure out just how to word it, but I had some awesome help and advice from some of my discord server friends and I hope it turned out well! They also gave me some amazing inspiration and ideas for a future scene ;-) Thanks again, guys! 
> 
> Yes, Rey's story is supposed to be a very loose ST knock-off, and yes, the names of the characters are based on the names of the actors from said movies. I had more fun than I should have with that. 
> 
> Come say hello on Twitter - greywilde27!


	6. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunken texting leads to a major confession. Our two lovers (and enemies) are making progress - some good, some not as much...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of this chapter is Sunday from Rey's POV (we saw Ben's POV of this same day in the last chapter), I wasn't sure if it was clear so I wanted to point that out :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading and sharing and supporting!

The sky was beginning to show hints of growing lighter as Rey reached the glass storefront of Maz’s Cafe. It appeared dark inside, save for a dim glow coming from the back of the shop. Pulling at the wooden door handle, she wasn’t surprised to find it still locked. Maz never remembered to pull herself away from baking to unlock the door for her morning shift workers. Rey fished her keyring from her pocket and inserted the bronze key into the lock.

Stepping inside, she announced her arrival and made her way towards the back of the room. Maz emerged from the back in her usual flurry of movement, flour dusting her dark blue apron and a smudge of chocolate across her wrinkled cheek. 

“Good morning, dear. Sorry, I didn’t hear you when you first arrived, I’ve been busy getting the rest of the baking done,” she explained, her owlish eyes blinking behind her thick round frames. 

“It’s alright, Maz, I’ve only been here a couple of minutes,” Rey replied, giving the older woman an understanding smile.

“Good.” Maz nodded and turned back around, “Get started with set up, I’ve got scones to get into the oven!” 

Rey watched in amusement as Maz scurried back across the cafe, disappearing into the kitchen behind the counter. She followed a moment later, stepping inside the small employee break room and finding her locker. Placing her purse and jacket inside, she reached for the sunny yellow apron that Maz required her baristas wear. Tying it over her usual uniform of khaki pants and a fitted black tee, she double-checked that her hair was still secured in a bun and headed back to the front of the cafe. 

She set to work moving the overturned chairs on top of tables back to their rightful place on the floor until the jingle of the bell above the front door alerted her to the arrival of the other two baristas on the schedule that morning. B.B. and Arturo, or Artoo as he went by, were NYU grad students studying technology and worked most weekends with her. 

“Rey!” B.B. greeted her enthusiastically, his bright orange hair glowing in the still darkened room. 

“Morning guys.” Rey smiled at both. “Maz is in the back finishing up the baking.” 

“When is Maz not finishing up the baking?” Artoo laughed. 

“Fair point,” Rey agreed. 

“We’ll go put our stuff away and be right back,” B.B. called as he and Artoo disappeared into the back of the shop. 

Rey resumed getting the cafe ready for the morning until the two returned. They chatted amongst themselves as they worked efficiently to finish setting up the chairs and tables. Once they had finished, B.B. volunteered to fill the milk and creamer carafes, while Artoo and Rey moved behind the counter to start up the various coffee and espresso machines for the day. 

“The last batch is out of the oven, help me load these into the bakery case,” Maz called as she emerged from the back with a huge tray of her famous lemon poppyseed scones. 

They sprang into action, donning gloves and carefully adding each pastry into the case on their assigned and labeled tray. Artoo and B.B. took turns grabbing additional trays from the back, while Rey stayed at the front to add each baked treat to the glass front display while simultaneously keeping an eye on the brewing coffee machines. Between the three of them, they managed to finish their task with a few minutes to spare before opening. 

“Go ahead and hit the lights and flip the sign now,” Maz said as she glanced around the cafe in approval. “I’m going up to take a nap, I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Maz rarely worked the front of the cafe, leaving it in the capable hands of her baristas while she focused on the baking. She woke up hours before opening to make dozens of her famous pastries for the morning rush then would retire to her upstairs apartment to take a nap before returning later in the day to bake for the afternoon. 

“I’ll go get the lights,” Rey offered, heading to the back wall where the main lighting panel was as Artoo walked across the floor to the front door to flip over the sign. 

With Maz’s Cafe opened, she took her place behind the counter and waited for the first customers to arrive. 

*

“I’m not ready for Monday,” Kaydel groaned.

Rey looked across the table and nodded in agreement. With her two shifts at Maz’s and working on her story, she’d hardly any time left to spare. It had been an impromptu idea on Jess’ part to head to their local neighborhood bar at seven on a Sunday evening. 

The Prime was a little hole in the wall pub. It wasn’t elaborate or trendy like many of their usual city hangouts. Featuring basic drinks, subpar bar food, cheesy outdated music, and bland decor, it's one perk was the proximity to their Brooklyn apartment, only a block and a half down the road. 

“I need a weekend from my weekend,” Rey agreed. 

Jess took another sip of her vodka soda. “Thankfully you don’t usually work back to back full-day early morning shifts for Maz,” she pointed out as she set her glass back on the table. 

“Thank god for that” Rey sighed. Most weekends she either worked one full-time shift or two part-time shifts during the middle of the day. This had been an unusual weekend with two employees out sick and another on vacation, so Rey had filled in the extra shifts as a favor. The extra money helped, but she didn’t realize how busy it kept her, especially given her newest responsibility of writing for Passion and Prose. 

“Plus your writing,” Kaydel chimed in as though she were reading Rey’s mind. 

“How is that going, by the way?” Rose asked curiously. 

Rey sighed. “We’ve gotten through the first two chapters, now we’re fighting over chapter three. It’s - ”

“The chapter with the oral hate sex?!” Kaydel interrupted her gleefully.

“Ooh that was a good one,” Rose agreed. “What did he think of it?”

“Honestly, he seemed the most impressed with that chapter overall out of the three I’ve sent to him, but that really isn't saying much considering he still packed the margins with edits and most of his criticism was over that scene,” she explained with a shrug of her shoulders. “I don’t entirely blame him, my first draft of it wasn’t anything to brag about.”

“Well, it was certainly an improvement from the first scene we helped you write,” Jess added. 

“Not by much,” Rey pointed out as she took a sip of her drink. “I’m working on it though. I’ve read so many different sex scenes on the site for inspiration that I’ve spent half of the week ridiculously horny.” 

“We need to find you a boyfriend,” Kaydel said as she glanced casually around the bar. 

“Not here.” Rose rolled her eyes, motioning for Kaydel to stop staring down random men. 

“Of course not here,” Jess replied. “Rey doesn’t need a one night stand!” 

“Rey is right here, thank you,” she stated, pointing to herself. “I’m also entirely capable of finding my own dates. I found a somewhat regular lunch date at work on my own.” 

The confession was out of her mouth before she could stop it. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell Jess and Kaydel about her platonic lunch dates with Ben, but she knew that once she told them they would be unbearable and demand every last detail. 

Her hesitation had been spot on as the two of them immediately launched into questions. 

“You’ve seriously been holding out on this info for weeks?” Kaydel pouted after Rey had filled them in on Ben and their recent habit of getting lunch together, along with her growing crush on the man. 

“We need to see a picture of this guy,” Jess insisted. 

Pulling out her mobile, Rey typed his name into the search engine and loaded the first page of images. Ben didn’t have a large social media presence but had been photographed in professional settings and at events around the city. Settling for the one he’d used for his LinkedIn profile, she turned her phone around and showed the group. 

“Hot damn.” Kaydel whistled. “How have you not asked him to more than just lunch yet?”

“He’s basically my superior,” Rey groaned. “I mean, not really, I don’t officially report to him or anything. And technically there are no company rules against coworker relationships, but I’m still an intern.” 

“Do you think he’s interested?” Jess asked curiously. 

“I don’t know,” Rey answered honestly. Ben was still guarded for the most part. He’d opened up more in the past week, but she wasn’t sure if he returned her interest or attraction.

“I think you should ask him to do something outside of work, and see what he says,” Rose suggested. “Obviously he enjoys spending time with you, at least enough to share his lunch break.” 

“You totally should, Rey,” Kaydel added. “Approach it like you just want to hang out as friends, don’t bring anything about dating or relationships into it. If he’s interested in you, he’ll definitely go for it.” 

“I’ll consider it,” Rey agreed. Her friends had a good point, Ben seemed to enjoy their lunches together in his weird, quiet way. 

They stayed at The Prime for another two hours, chatting and ordering rounds of drinks. Their discussion had moved on to the latest social media drama involving some of their former NYU classmates. By 10 pm, Rey was sufficiently drunk, along with Jess and Kaydel. Rose stepped into her role as mother hen to make sure the other three made it home. 

Rey collapsed into her bed, not even bothering to take off her shoes or wash her face. The rounded corner of her phone was digging into her hip from where she had it stored in her front pocket. Grabbing at the offending object, she squinted at the bright screen as she glanced at the time on the screen. Stumbling with the passcode, she unlocked the screen and proceeded to make sure her weekday morning alarms had been set. 

The green messaging icon called out to her like a beacon of temptation. Remembering the conversation regarding Ben that evening, she tapped to open the app and scrolled through the messages until she found their latest conversation. 

_Rey: Hllo Ben! I hve a ??? 4 yu_

A few moments later, her phone buzzed in response. 

**Ben: Rey? Are you okay?** ****

_Rey: Ofc, jus got bck frm Prime witg my roommatrs_

_Rey: They thnk I shouid ask u out. I told thm bout r lunches._

_Rey: I also told them that I thnk u r the hotest n that i want u 2 fuck me._

Her eyes were barely open as she typed the last message and hit send. Something in her brain was screaming at her to stop, but she ignored it. 

**Ben: I’m not sure how to respond to this, especially since you’re obviously drunk.**

**Ben: Can we talk tomorrow?**

Rey didn’t answer him. She had passed out with her phone still cradled in the palm of her hand. 

****

Ben arrived at work early the next morning. He hadn’t been able to sleep for most of the night after the drunken texts from Rey. The texts where she’d admitted she found him attractive and explicitly stated her desire to have sex with him. His first reaction had been to tell her that he felt the same until logic took over and he decided it would be best to talk with her when she was sober. 

She hadn’t replied to his last message nor had there been a response that morning. Ben debated checking in to see how she was doing but his uncertainty led him to wait for her to bring it up first. 

Letting her take the lead on _that_ conversation was definitely the right plan. 

Rey showed up five minutes late. Ben could make out her form through the frosted glass exterior of his office as she set her things on her desk, and sat into her chair. He heard the sounds of her computer loading, followed by the clicking sound of her keys as she logged on the system. 

He’d sent her a short email with a file attached to proofread that morning, making no mention of the previous evening. After ten minutes of waiting for a reply or for any sign that she planned to acknowledge him, he gave up and returned to work. 

“Ben?”

He turned in his desk chair to see Rey standing in the doorway of his office. Her face was devoid of makeup and he could make out the dark circles under her eyes. She was nervously twisting her hands and making a concentrated effort at avoiding eye contact with him. 

“How can I help you?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral. 

“I, um, just wanted to make sure you got the chapter back,” she replied, briefly glancing up in his direction before shifting her focus to the bookshelves behind him.

“I received your notes on the chapter just fine if that's what you needed to ask about. I apologize for not responding to let you know I had them, I’ve been caught up in other work,” he explained dismissively. 

“Oh, good,” Rey replied, her face transforming into a slight frown. “I’ll just go back - ”

“Rey.” He stopped her as she started to leave. “Did you need anything else?” 

It was obvious that she hadn’t come to his office to discuss the file. 

She took a deep breath and looked up, this time keeping her gaze directly on him. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior over text last night, I had too much to drink and its no excuse, but I am still sorry.” Her words spilled out in a jumbled mess. 

“I’m not upset, Rey,” Ben said quietly. “Close the door and come sit down.” 

Rey obeyed, gently shutting the glass door and walking across the small room to take a seat in the chair opposite his desk. 

“You have every right to be upset, I was completely inappropriate,” she insisted, her tone more confident than it had been. 

“Why would I be upset if its something I had been hoping to hear?” he shrugged, staring into her red-rimmed hazel eyes. “Unless that is, you didn’t mean it.” 

He observed as her gaze widened and she opened and closed her mouth several times to speak. 

Finally, she composed herself. “You want me?” 

“Rey, how could I not want you? I’ve wanted you since your first week here when you refused to let me ignore you. It took me over a month and a lame excuse of a thank-you lunch to ask you out, and that wasn’t even an official date.” Ben smiled enjoying the blush that spread across her cheeks. 

“I’ve been interested in you since the beginning as well,” Rey confessed. “I started my crusade to make you try all the food trucks in the area as an excuse to spend more time with you.”

“And I’m so glad you did,” Ben agreed. “You gave me a reason to get to know you, and introduced me to some seriously good food too.” 

“You’re welcome,” Rey replied cheekily, earning a laugh from Ben. 

“So I know you said in your texts last night that your roommates thought you should ask me out, but I’m going to beat you to it. Rey Jackson, will you please go on a date with me?” he asked with a ridiculous grin. 

“Ben Solo, I would love to,” she said in response. “One condition though.”

“Name it,” he replied, fully aware that he’d be willing to do anything she asked. 

“We keep going to lunch together too.” Rey gave him a look that booked no arguments. 

Ben laughed. “That’s obvious, I’ll even add to it, I want to go on more lunch dates with you,” He insisted. 

“I won’t say no to that.” 

“Are you free tomorrow evening?” 

“I’ll pencil you in.” Rey winked. “Let me know when and where.” 

“Great,” Ben confirmed. “Now get back to work, and think about where you want to eat lunch today.” 

He waved her from the office with a smile. The one she gave in return had him humming to himself the rest of the morning. 

****

“I drunk texted Ben last night.”

Rey watched as Rose raised her eyebrows in shock as she gasped. “No, you did not!” 

“Yep.” Rey winced as she drew out the word with a pop of the _p._

“Do I even want to know how that went down?” Rose asked, her voice laced with hesitation. 

Taking her phone from the side table, Rey opened the messaging app and scrolled back up to the beginning of her drunken conversation and handed it over to her waiting friend. 

She watched as Rose scrolled through the messages with a grimace on her face before she began to laugh. “Well, it looks like it didn’t end too badly if today’s texts are anything to go by,” she pointed out as she handed Rey back her phone. 

“No, not bad at all,” Rey mused, a thoughtful expression on her face. “I honestly expected it would be the end of our friendship, but he admitted that he felt the same way. We have an actual outside of the workday date tomorrow evening.” 

Rose squealed and clapped her hands together. “I thought that was what his last text was referring to!”

“This might be the only time drunk texting ended positively for me,” Rey said with a sigh. 

“For real though,” Rose agreed. “I’ll hijack your phone next time, you don’t want to test your luck twice.” 

“Deal.” 

Rey had been floating on air since that morning when Ben had admitted to returning her feelings and asked her on an official date. They’d gone to lunch together, choosing tacos from AT AT and eating at Central Park like their first food truck date a few weeks earlier. While they sat in the grass on a small hill and shared their chosen dishes while talking, Rey realized that nothing and everything had changed between them, and she couldn’t stop smiling. 

At least until she opened her latest message from Kylo that evening. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 3, 4th Draft** ****

Kira,

Once again, you continue to ignore three crucial edits that I expected corrections for two drafts ago. While you may insist that you’re being creative, certain rules for writing exist that I expect you to follow. I remain concerned that I continually have to remind you. 

You have so much potential to become a great writer if you would take my advice and follow the correct way of doing things. 

I would still like to see added detail in your final scene to better convey the emotions of Violet and Ryder’s encounter, but I will admit that it has improved some from your first draft. At least it shows that you’re capable of listening some of the time. I’ve had my doubts. 

Please employ some of those listening skills and fix the bolded and highlighted areas. 

Kylo

Rey gave her screen the middle finger and slammed her laptop shut. She knew exactly what three edits he was referring to because she’d been ignoring them since his notes on the first draft. They were fine by most writer’s standards and only the most traditional and archaic sticklers for outdated rules insisted on them. 

The reasons why Kylo worked for Passion and Prose still baffled her. 

****

Ben was wrapping up edits on another author’s story when Kira’s response to his last message pinged his inbox. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 3, Draft 5** ****

Kylo,

I fixed two of the three of your edits, but I refuse to budge on the third. I don’t give two shits if it breaks some rule of writing that only you remember. The last person to still care died two hundred years ago. That passage sounds infinitely better the way I wrote it, and I will die on that hill. 

Thank you for your compliment on my last scene. I hope my recent additions meet your insufferably high standards. 

Kira 

_I will not break my computer screen. I will not break my computer screen._

With a deep breath, he loaded her latest draft and began to read. He’d found where she’d fixed two of the edits, and where she’d refused to fix the third. Reading through it again, he begrudgingly admitted to himself that he was being a bit ridiculous about the whole thing and erased his notes in that margin. It was tempting to continue pushing his side, but he was still in a good mood from his advancements with Rey to fight some uppity wannabe author. 

Her edits on the final scene were starting to improve and if anyone asked, he would vehemently deny that he read through it three times while picturing his head between Rey’s legs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I would add in a little scene introducing you to Rey's barista job and add in a couple more SW character references while I was at it. There won't be a huge focus on her job there or her coworkers, but we'll be seeing plenty more of the cafe and Maz in chapters to come :)
> 
> I'm not an English major or a professional writer, I don't actually have any examples of the outdated writing rules Kylo is insisting on - I googled enough to confirm that there may be some out there. It just felt like a very Kylo thing to be particular about and I'm going with it. Haha! 
> 
> I am LOVING the comments you guys are leaving - especially the theories and guesses for how things may unfold in the future. I will say that it is all written and I don't think anyone has gotten it exactly, but a lot of your suggestions were things I considered. It's hard not to reply back with spoilers though! Keep them coming, I love hearing what everyone thinks :)
> 
> Big first date coming up in chapter 7! Stay tuned!


	7. Take Me Out To...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey have their first date!

“I’m going on a date after work with Rey tonight. I already let HR know and now you don’t have to pry for information later,” Ben said casually as he strolled into his Mother’s office the next morning. He’d made the impulse decision to stop by when he first arrived knowing that he’d never hear the end of it if she found out about their date from anyone else. 

Sometimes it wasn’t worth the effort of hiding things from Leia Organa. 

Leia sighed in exasperation before a wide grin appeared across her face. “It’s about time you asked that girl out. Where are taking her?” 

“I don’t know yet,” Ben admitted. He’d texted Rey the previous night and told her to bring a casual change of clothes but hadn't decided on what to do yet. “Possibly a walk through Central Park before finding dinner somewhere.” 

“So basically what you do for half of your lunch breaks together?” she rolled her eyes. 

“I don’t even want to know how you know that,” Ben grumbled. “Anyway, I just came up here to give you a heads up because I know how you are.” 

“Well, I appreciate it, Benjamin.” Leia smiled. “And I’m thrilled for you, just please take that girl on a first date she deserves.” 

“Do you have any suggestions?” Ben asked after a moment, deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to ask. 

Leia glanced at him thoughtfully before her eyes widened. She held up a finger and grabbed her phone, quickly dialing an extension. “You haven’t sent out the email about those tickets yet, have you?” She asked, pausing briefly before talking again. “Perfect, bring them in, Ben needs them. Thanks!” 

“What sort of concert or play did I just get roped into attending?” Ben asked after she’d hung up the phone.

“Neither.” She smiled as her secretary came into the room with a white envelope in hand. “Thanks, dear,” she told the young woman who retreated as quickly and quietly as she had come. 

Leia handed the envelope to Ben and he peered inside to see two box seat tickets for the Yankees vs. Texas Rangers game that evening. Resistance had a set of season tickets that were divvied out amongst the execs, though occasionally some of the less desirable games would be passed out to the lower-ranking staff.

“The employee who claimed them months ago came down with something over the weekend. When he called out again this morning he let us know he wouldn’t be able to use the tickets tonight. I was planning to have an email sent out to offer them up to the first taker this morning,” Leia explained. “You’re welcome, by the way, you can thank me by not messing things up with Rey.” 

Ben rolled his eyes before giving his mother a genuine smile. He hadn’t considered a baseball game, but it met all of his requirements: casual, easy to talk during, and he knew that Rey would love all of the food options at the park. 

“I should get back down to my desk, thanks for this.” The proud look on his mother’s face made him wary as he realized that he’d be hearing about this moment for months, if not years to come. 

“Of course dear,” Leia replied with a satisfied smile. “You should take off an hour early so you can get to the stadium with plenty of time, I’ll clear it with HR, don’t worry.” 

“Mother, you can’t just step in and clear part of my schedule with HR for a date.” Ben looked at her in disbelief. 

“My company. They can deal with me if they have a problem.” She shrugged and motioned for the door. “Now shoo, back to work.” 

Ben returned to his office to find Rey standing at her desk wearing the dark grey pencil skirt and white blouse combo that drove him wild. He watched as she busied herself at her desk, organizing papers and clicking occasionally at her computer screen as she loaded it up for the day. 

“You’re late,” she said teasingly when she saw him.

“Nope, I was early. I had to go upstairs for something,” he explained, motioning through his open office door to the coat and briefcase that still sat on his desk where he’d dropped them off before heading upstairs. 

“I know, I saw them when I arrived and looked in to say hello,” Rey replied with a cheeky grin. 

Ben felt his heart flutter. She was _so_ beautiful. 

Remembering what he wanted to talk to her about, he cleared his throat. 

“So, I have bad news and good news about today.” He watched as her nose scrunched ever so slightly at the mention of _bad news._ “Bad news first,” he continued, “I can’t go to lunch with you today, I need to take care of a few things.” 

Her expression was understanding as she nodded. “And the good?” she asked with a hopeful expression.

“We’ve been approved to leave an hour early,” he said, watching for her reaction.

She frowned and let out a long breath. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable getting off an hour early for a date, people are going to talk.” 

“My mother suggested it, and she will deal with anyone who complains,” Ben explained. “Besides, no one will care, you already landed the internship - it would be entirely different if you were still in college and planning to apply for one. Resistance hires nearly 100% of their interns after they complete the program, you’ve already passed the difficult part,” he reminded her. 

Rey seemed to relax a bit. “Fine, but I don’t want this to become a regular thing,” she cautioned. 

“I wouldn’t want that either,” he assured her. “You’ll understand why leaving a bit early was necessary later today.” 

“So you’re still not going to tell me where we are going?” she pouted. 

Ben laughed. She had been persistent during their text conversation the night before trying to get him to spill the details of their date. Little did she know, he didn’t have any idea himself. Now that he did have a plan, however, he wanted to continue the fun and keep her in suspense. 

“Nope. Not happening,” he teased. 

****

It had felt like the longest workday in Rey’s experience. She’d seen Ben in passing during the day, except for around lunch when he’d disappeared for over an hour. She tried to stay focused on the various tasks she had lined up to do, but it was hard not to check the time on her computer screen or phone every few minutes. 

Ben popped his head out of his office right before they were due to leave. “If you’re done for the day, go ahead and change. You can leave your work clothes in my office tonight.” 

“Thanks.” Rey smiled, grabbing the tote bag she brought with her casual outfit inside and heading for the nearest employee bathroom. 

Occupying the first empty stall, she swiftly removed her pencil skirt, blouse, and heels before replacing them with dark denim skinny jeans, a relaxed white tee, and her white converse. Tucking her work outfit back into the bag, she stepped out of the stall and stood at the row of sinks to use the mirror above them, fixing her hair into a casual messy bun. Satisfied with her appearance, she headed back to meet Ben. 

“You look fantastic.” Ben gave her a ridiculous grin as she entered his office. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything but work clothes, not that you don’t look amazing in those either, of course.” 

Rey blushed. “Thanks, you look great too,” she replied, noticing that he was now donning a pair of jeans and a grey zipped up hooded jacket with white sneakers. 

“Go ahead and put your stuff in the cabinet over on that wall, and then we’ll clock out and go. I just called an Uber to meet us out front,” he explained, pointing to the two-door armoire. 

With her bag safely tucked away, Rey returned to her desk to sign off for the day before shutting her computer down and grabbing her coat and purse. Ben stood outside his office door waiting when she finished. 

“Ready?” he asked

“Ready.” 

*

Ben attempted to keep her distracted from figuring out what area they were driving to by asking her questions the entire trip. Rey had even tried to get an answer out of their Uber driver, but the older man was firmly on Ben’s side in keeping their destination a surprise. 

They were dropped off on a random side street in an unfamiliar neighborhood twenty minutes later. Their driver wished them a good evening and sped off, leaving them standing alone on a sidewalk. 

“We’re a few blocks away still, I thought it would be a better surprise if we walked the rest,” he explained with a grin. 

“I’ve hardly been in this part of town,” Rey admitted, trying to place the area and not recognizing any of her surroundings.

“Which means you’ve probably never done what I have planned for tonight,” Ben replied. He adjusted the backpack he was carrying and extended his hand towards her. “Come on, I’m dying to see your reaction.” 

Rey took his hand in hers, and let him lead her down the sidewalk. 

The next block over was much busier and filled with groups of people heading in the same direction. Another block further and the crowds continued to grow. She noticed a dominant presence of people wearing mostly red or blue, or varying combinations of grey, white, and navy, but didn’t put it all together until they rounded the last block and the iconic brick stadium came into view. 

“Are you taking me to a Yankees game?” she gasped. 

“Surprise!” Ben laughed at her reaction. “Is this a good thing?” 

“I’ve never been, and I’ve always wanted to go,” Rey admitted. “None of my friends are into sports.” 

“Well I’m glad I get to give you your first experience,” he said softly. Rey blushed immediately at his words, her mind going directly to _another_ first experience she also hoped he would give her. 

“Thank you so much for this, it’s the perfect first date,” she told him, reaching up on tiptoes to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

“I have one other thing before we get there.” He swung his backpack around and unzipped the main portion, grabbing a shopping bag from the top and handing it to Rey. 

She carefully opened the bag to find a classic white pinstripe jersey and a navy blue ball cap boasting the famous NYY logo. “Ben! You shouldn’t have!” Rey exclaimed. 

“I wanted to,” he insisted and unzipped his jacket to show the grey and navy blue jersey he wore underneath. “You can’t go to the game without the proper attire.” 

Rey slipped the jersey over her white tee and adjusted the hat over her messy bun. Ben gave her an approving smile before they continued on their way towards the stadium entrance. 

****

Ben couldn’t stop glancing over at Rey, her enthusiasm was contagious as she eagerly watched the game unfold. The excitement began early in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run to kick off a 2-0 lead for the Yankees.

They ate steak sandwiches with garlic fries and drank craft beers, watching as the next few innings passed with no score, chatting quietly over the murmur of the crowd around them. Ben explained some of the basic rules of the game as they watched player after player strike or fly out. Occasionally a player would make it onto the base and the crowd would perk up, but the score remained unchanged through the top of the sixth inning. 

“That’s going!” Ben jumped up, his gaze following the ball into the center-field stands. The crowd around them went wild as the shortstop rounded the bases behind the other players already on first and second for a three-run homer, bringing the score to 5-0. 

More excitement came when the next batter hit another home run, and the player after him hit a single and made it to first base. 

“What’s going on?” Rey asked as the game paused and a few Texas Rangers players and coaches gathered on the pitching mound. 

“They’re switching out their pitcher,” Ben explained just as the Ranger’s player who’d been pitching walked back towards their team dugout, a new player taking his place and throwing a few practice pitches to the catcher behind home plate. 

The next Yankees player up to bat proved that a new pitcher didn’t mean much when he launched another ball into right-field, a two-run homer to give the Yankees an eight-point lead. The energy in the stadium was electric as fans cheered and danced to the celebratory music that played. 

“We need something sweet to celebrate!” Rey urged Ben as the sixth inning finally came to a close. “I saw those fun shakes earlier, can we get one?” 

They had passed a vendor earlier that sold milkshakes, one, in particular, had all the classic ballpark treats - cotton candy, cracker jacks, and churros. It sounded disgusting to Ben, but he couldn’t deny the expression on Rey’s face. 

“Sure thing,” he grinned, taking her hand and leading her from their seats and up to the 100-level concourse. 

They returned with the milkshake just in time to participate in the 7th Inning stretch. Ben had to admit that the combination of ingredients wasn’t as horrible as it sounded after giving in to Rey’s attempts to get him to try a sip. He’d let her finish the rest of it though, her eyes alight as she watched the grounds crew dance to the “YMCA” as they swept the field, bouncing in her seat to the music and mouthing along to the words of the chorus.

After the game ended, with the Yankees beating the Rangers 10 to 1, he ordered another Uber to pick them up a couple of blocks away. Ben grabbed Rey’s hand and led her through the crowds of people exiting the stadium en masse as the strains of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” played over the sound system. They made their way into the surrounding area and finally broke apart from most of the chaos. 

“I can take the Subway home, an Uber from here after a game has to cost a fortune,” Rey insisted as they walked together down a side street. 

“It would take you an hour just to get on the subway from here and you’ll have to change trains. I can’t let you do that this late,” Ben replied firmly. 

Rey sighed in agreement. “Fine.” 

He chuckled a bit at her stubborn expression. “I’m planning to ride with you to make sure you get home safely, and then I’ll have the driver take me home after.” 

“You don’t -” she started to argue again. 

“I won’t have it any other way,” he interrupted her, squeezing her hand tightly. “I know you can take care of yourself, Rey, just let me do this for you. I want to spend more time with you.” 

She let it go after that, squeezing his hand in return. 

Their Uber driver arrived a few minutes after they reached the pick-up spot Ben had requested.

“Are you busy on Friday evening?” Ben asked Rey after they were several minutes into their trip home. 

She had been leaning against his shoulder, her hand still tucked into his. 

“I usually go out with my roommates and some other friends, but I can give them a rain check.” 

“I’d like to cook for you.” He gazed down at her. “Would you like to come home with me after work, we can have dinner and just relax and watch a movie or whatever?” 

Ben had hesitated on whether asking her to an intimate dinner back to his place for their second official date was too soon. Rey eased his nerves immediately when she smiled widely.

“I would love that!” 

“Oh good.” 

He took a deep breath and smiled back at her. 

Ben jumped out of the car as their Uber driver arrived at Rey’s building and held the door open for her. He gave a quick nod to the man behind the wheel and walked with Rey to the front door. 

“I had so much fun,” Rey told him as they reached the top stair of the landing. “Thank you again, for everything.” 

“You’re welcome, I had a really good time too,” Ben agreed. “I’m glad you said yes to another date, I can’t wait to spend more time with you.” He gazed down at her briefly and brought his hand to the side of her face. “May I?”

At her nod of confirmation, he closed the space between them, softly pressing his lips against hers. His other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her to him as she sighed in contentment. Her hands grabbed at his shoulders, urging him closer, and for a few minutes, they stood there kissing underneath the single porch light as though nothing else around them mattered.

He pulled away after another moment, his eyes meeting Rey’s as she gave him a brilliant smile. 

“Goodnight, Ben,” she murmured, giving him one last kiss on the cheek and turning to enter the building. 

“Goodnight, Rey,” he replied softly after her. 

Ben was grateful for the discreet Uber driver who pretended not to notice what had happened and let him ride back to his apartment in blissful silence. 

****

“So. Ben Solo, huh?” Rey looked up to see Poe Dameron approaching her in the break room the next morning at work. 

“I swear this office has a world record for spreading gossip,” she grumbled. “We literally had our first date last night.” 

Poe laughed. “And the lunches together multiple times a week,” he said pointedly. “However, I believe your secret is safe from most of the office still. I actually found out from Finn, your roommates were discussing the two of you when we were waiting to go on stage for Karaoke last Friday.” 

Rey made a face. “Of course they were.” 

“Hey, we all just want to see you happy, sunshine,” Poe assured her. 

“I know,” Rey replied with a smile. 

“Bring him along on Friday, I’d love to see Ben Solo do Karaoke.”

Rey let out a brief laugh. “You’ll be waiting a long time for that to happen,” she replied. "Besides, I won't be there this Friday, Ben is making me dinner."

Poe gasped. "You wound me!" He proclaimed dramatically. "Giving up on your friends already?" 

"You're ridiculous," she groaned.

He pulled her into a hug. "You love me." 

"I do," Rey agreed as she returned his embrace. "I'll try and get Ben to come to Karaoke another time, okay?"

"Sounds good. I'm counting on it!" He replied as they parted ways and returned to their respective departments. 

*

The rest of Wednesday and Thursday passed by in a blur for Rey. Things at the office were mostly the same, except for the increased moments of sneaking into Ben’s office and stealing kisses. They texted often when they couldn’t find an excuse to be at each other’s desk, and went to lunch together both days. 

Her roommates had been understanding and supportive when she had told them that she’d have to bail on their usual Friday night plans. Jess and Kaydel had taken it as an opportunity to ransack her meager lingerie selection; picking out exactly what they thought she should wear under her clothes while giving her pointers and advice. 

Thursday night found Rey working on the fourth chapter of her story. She and Kylo had agreed to set chapter three aside for the time being, despite it being unfinished, and move the story forward. He had requested a first draft before Friday evening so he could review it over the weekend.

“I can’t get past this scene,” she vented to Kaydel who had joined her in the living room and was acting as a sounding board for ideas. 

The fourth chapter was a bit of a time jump from the events of the third. Violet hadn’t seen Ryder since the market incident. The group she was in was tracking the group he led, and they had just narrowed his location to a group of planets. She had written about Violet’s internal struggles and her conflicting feelings for Ryder, but had come to a stall when she needed to move the plot forward again. 

“You should switch to Ryder’s point of view,” Kaydel suggested after reading through Rey’s draft. “I think a lot of readers are going to want to know how he felt about everything as well and it will give you a fresh take to write about.” 

“You’re a genius.” Rey grinned. “I know you don’t think you’re much of a story writer, but I think you underestimate yourself.” 

“Hey, I’m just an expert at reading this stuff. If I tried to write it, the whole thing would suck horribly.” Kaydel laughed as she handed back Rey’s laptop before standing up with a yawn. “I’m off to bed.”

Rey bid her roommate goodnight before looking at the time. It was nearly midnight. She hurried to write a few paragraphs covering Ryder’s side of things. It wasn’t entirely how she wanted it to go but it would do for now. 

She saved the draft and opened her message inbox on the site to send it off to Kylo.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 4, Draft one-ish**

Kylo,

Due to my schedule tomorrow I am sending you what I have for chapter four tonight. There are more scenes that I plan to add, particularly at the end during Ryder’s POV. Please keep that in mind as you are reading. My 2nd draft will reflect the entire chapter as intended. 

Thank you. 

Kira 

It was the most polite she’d been in a message to him recently, but to his credit, he’d also been less of an asshole lately too. Still pretentious as hell, but less of an ass all the same. She double-checked that the file had loaded and hit send. 

Closing down her laptop, she turned off the lamp beside her and snuck into the room. Setting her phone on the nightstand, she stripped off her long-sleeved shirt and pants and crawled into her bed wearing just a simple camisole and underwear. 

The soft sounds of Rose’s breathing across the room lulled her to sleep within minutes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based the baseball game that Ben and Rey attended off of a real game (the Yankees vs. Rangers game from Sept. 3rd, 2019 specifically, and yes the Yankees did score 6 points during the bottom of the 6th like that). I'm a huge baseball fan, I've grown up attending MLB games and little league games and everything in between. My family has ties to New York so I grew up rooting for both the Yankees as well as my home team (except when they played each other, haha). I took a few liberties with things but tried to research for accuracy so please forgive any errors! 
> 
> I'm also fully aware that in the real world the CEO of a company wouldn't go to HR to excuse her son and his girlfriend to leave an hour early for a date, but hey - it’s fiction and I liked writing it 😏
> 
> The next chapter is when we start really earning that E rating between our characters, the slow-ish burn is about to come to an end - but the story still has quite a way to go 😉 I love hearing all your ideas about things and your comments make my day. I've smiled so much reading them. 
> 
> Thanks again, as always, for all of your wonderful support! 
> 
> Come say hello on Twitter: greywilde27


	8. Netflix and Some Chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An intimate evening leads to Ben and Rey growing much closer...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We start really earning the E rating here, if smut isn't your thing, you can skip most of the last half of this chapter (after they put on the movie). Please let me know if I left out any tags, I think I added all of the appropriate ones, but I want to be sure :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading and all your support!
> 
> Also, credit for my chapter title inspiration comes from the comment RamboBrite left me on chapter seven ;-)

Ben didn’t know what had possessed him to check his Passion and Prose inbox before work the following morning. He’d loaded the site and sighed at the bolded indication that Kira had sent him another message. It had been an even bigger surprise that she’d included a draft for chapter four until he noticed the draft was incomplete. 

He skimmed through the file that she’d attached, growing more and more annoyed as he reached the abrupt ending where she hadn’t bothered to finish. 

With a sigh, he typed a reply, letting his foul mood get the better of him. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 4, Draft 1 - why?**

Kira, 

I’d much rather you have written and asked to submit the entire completed chapter past the deadline instead of sending me a partial draft. I’m not going to waste my time if I can’t get the full picture of what you are trying to write. 

Please resubmit your chapter later this weekend once you have a completed first draft to share. 

Kylo 

He hit send and felt a slight pang of guilt. Other authors had submitted partial chapters to him in the past and it wasn’t a problem. However, Kira drove him crazy, especially when she fought back at every opportunity. Ben realized that he was being unnecessarily petty, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. 

Shaking thoughts of her from his head, he shut down his computer and returned to the living room and kitchen to make sure everything was ready for that evening. He wasn’t about to let his annoyance with Kira ruin his night with Rey. 

*

“Morning,” he greeted her with a smile and a soft kiss as he arrived at work to find her standing at her desk. 

“Good Morning,” Rey said, smiling in return. “I brought you coffee.” 

Ben noticed the familiar cardboard cup with the bright yellow sleeve. “And how is Maz doing this morning?” 

He’d discovered that Rey worked for his old family friend when she showed up the first week of her internship carrying the familiar to-go cup. It had led to Rey telling him about her college job, turned weekend gig, and how she’d found out that Maz knew Leia after she landed her internship. He had agreed with her assessment that New York City was a small place, indeed. 

“She was already back upstairs sleeping by the time I arrived, but Emmie sends her hello,” Rey explained. 

Ben took a sip of the hot americano and gave a contented sigh. He hadn’t been to Maz’s in years. His Mother would frequently take him when he was younger. Maz would spoil him with hot chocolate and a fresh cookie, letting him color at one of the tables in the back while she and Leia chatted nearby.

“I suppose I should probably stop by and visit you at work and say hello to Maz sometime soon.” He winked. "Thanks for the coffee.” 

“You’re very welcome,” Rey answered. “And yes, I told Maz we’d become friends and she’s already pestered me twice about when I’m going to, in her words, _get that oversized rugrat_ to come and see her.”

Ben was glad to hear that Maz hadn’t changed a bit. 

****

“You ready?” 

Rey glanced up to see Ben approaching her desk with his jacket on and briefcase in hand. He was sporting a boyish grin that just barely hinted at the dimples that made her heart flutter. 

“Almost. Give me one minute.” She opened her work portal from the home screen, clicking through the necessary screens to submit her hours for the day, and promptly turned off her computer. 

Standing and grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair, followed by her purse, she double-checked her area before stepping into the hallway where Ben stood waiting. 

“Shall we?” he extended his hand towards her, and she took it with a smile. 

Ben’s apartment was a fifteen-minute walk from the office on the upper west side of Central Park. They followed the familiar route up Broadway around Columbus Circle before continuing onto Central Park West, strolling alongside the park’s perimeter. 

An older gentleman in a mustard-colored jacket stood just outside the doors underneath the burgundy awning of the towering building. 

“Good evening, Mr. Solo, welcome home.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Threepio,” Ben returned the greeting and turned to introduce her. “This is Rey.” 

“Ah, so pleased to meet you Miss Rey, welcome to the Chandrila Apartments.” Mr. Threepio said as he shook her hand with a polite bow. 

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” she replied as Ben led her inside. 

She gazed across the impressive lobby, noting the smooth tiled floors and marble columns. There were several clusters of leather armchairs placed around the room which boasted two grand fireplaces. At the far end next to the hallway that led to the elevators sat a massive reception desk. 

“Ready to go up?” Ben asked, placing his hand on the small of her back. 

Rey was in love from the moment that she stepped inside his apartment. His foyer alone was the size of the bedroom she shared with Rose. Ben took her coat and purse and hung them in the front closet along with his things before leading her into the open living area. Tall windows lined the far wall and she was immediately drawn to them. 

“This view is unreal!” She gasped, looking down below over the tops of the trees that surrounded the Central Park lake. 

“It’s what sold me on buying this unit,” Ben agreed as he came up behind her to rest his chin on her head. “Would you like the grand tour?” 

Rey turned and gave him a grin as she nodded. 

He led her into a spacious office first, it had two closets and it’s own bathroom attached, complete with a small laundry room off the back. The kitchen sat next door with a massive center island that contained a wine fridge. It also boasted a double oven, professional range, and oversized refrigerator. 

Finally, he led her to the other side of the apartment to see the master suite. It had the same views as the living room, complete with a huge adjacent bathroom and closet along with a sitting area and fireplace. A dominant king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room with crisp white linens and a large padded headboard. 

“Make yourself at home, I need to get the salmon in the oven.” Ben kissed the top of her head once they were back in the living room. 

“Can I watch you?” Rey asked.

“Of course.” Ben looked pleasantly surprised at her request. 

She followed him back into the bright kitchen and took a seat on one of the tall bar stools at the island. Ben hurried around the room, pulling the fish from the fridge where he had placed it that morning, and turned on the oven to preheat. He stopped briefly, ducking down to pull a chilled bottle of wine from the small fridge and two glasses from the shelf alongside it. Removing the cork, he poured them both a glass and slid Rey’s across the marble top counter to her.

*

“Is it alright?” Ben asked nervously, watching as Rey took the first bite of salmon from across the dining room table. He considered himself a fairly competent cook and he desperately wanted to impress her. 

“It’s amazing,” she assured him after swallowing. “I rarely eat salmon, but this tastes delicious. The lemon compliments it so well.” 

Ben had used a creamy lemon and dill sauce on top of the oven-baked filets. The dish paired perfectly with the simple herb-filled rice pilaf and citrus vinaigrette spring green salad on the side. 

“Good, I’m glad,” he replied, taking a bite of his food. 

“Its no food truck, but I suppose I’ll manage,” Rey said casually, teasing him as she let out a laugh. 

Ben gave her a mocking glare, narrowing his eyes briefly before joining her amusement. 

She was stunning. He almost didn’t know how to breathe as he caught the brightness of her eyes and radiance of her smile. 

“You’re beautiful.”

Rey’s cheeks turned pink and she looked up at him in surprise, uttering a soft thanks. “You’re beautiful too,” she softly replied. 

“I really like you, Rey, more than I ever thought possible,” Ben began, staring intently into her eyes, watching her every reaction. “I’d very much like to be yours, officially, if you’ll have me?” 

“Yes,” she breathed. “I would like that as well. To be yours too, that is.” 

He gave her a broad smile in response. 

Rey had insisted, despite Ben’s protests, to help clean up dinner after they had finished. He gave in when she’d refused to back down, claiming it would go twice as fast. Reluctantly, he’d agreed when they’d completed in half the time that she was right. 

After, the found themselves on the couch, topped up wine glasses in hand, browsing the contents of the Netflix library.

“Galaxy Quest?” Ben suggested, flipping through the various titles and stopping over the icon for the cult classic. 

“Are you kidding? That’s one of my favorites!” Rey replied enthusiastically. 

“Mine too,” Ben agreed, clicking the start button and setting the remote on the coffee table. “I’ve always been a big fan of space adventures, especially Star Battles, don’t tell anyone at the office,” He joked. 

“Ben Solo, closet nerd, I love it,” Rey teased in return. “I’m a huge fan too, your secret is safe with me.” 

They settled back into the soft couch, Rey snuggled into Ben’s side as he wrapped his arm around her as the familiar theme of the film began to play on the screen. 

As the movie progressed, so did their physical contact. It started with small brushes of his fingertips along her upper arm and moved to Rey placing her hand on his upper thigh, drawing gentle circles over the hard muscles of his quads. Boldly, she began to trace along his leg until her fingers were teasing near the edge of his crotch. 

“Rey.” He groaned. “You’re playing with fire, sweetheart.” 

She immediately melted at the endearing pet name. Looking up to see him staring down at her intently, she bit her lip and lightly ran a finger along the outline of his hardened cock. He tensed and his dick jumped at the contact. Rey had never been this forward before, the few past experiences that she’d had beyond kissing had all been initiated by her partner first. 

“Is this okay?” she asked. 

“More than okay,” Ben confirmed. “May I - May I touch you as well?” 

Rey nodded, turning her body to face his. She continued to stroke his erection through the fabric of his trousers as he played with the buttons at the top of her blouse. He looked at her for permission, waiting until she nodded her consent before slowly undoing each one. 

She watched his expression as he slipped the garment off her shoulders, leaving her clad in the light pink lace bra that Kaydel and Jess had insisted she wear, along with the matching underwear that was still hidden from view beneath her skirt. 

“I’m not much.” Rey glanced down at her small breasts that barely filled the B cups, suddenly self-conscious of her figure. 

“You’re fucking gorgeous.” Ben shook his head in disagreement as he replied with reverence. “So fucking amazing, Rey, I need to taste your perfect tits.” 

“Please,” she whimpered, as he ran a finger over her hardened nipples through the flimsy material of her bra. 

He made quick work of the clasp behind her back, letting it fall from her shoulders as it dropped to the floor next to the couch. With another appreciative moan, he grabbed her small waist and lowered his head, pulling her nipple into his mouth. Rey cried out as a shot of pleasure traveled straight to her core. 

“Better than I imagined,” he mumbled against her breast, letting his tongue dance in circles around her areola, caressing the rosy tip. 

She pulled his head against her tightly, desperate for whatever he could give her. 

After he’d paid equal attention to the other side, she pushed him back against the couch and began to remove the buttons of his dress shirt. She paused to admire the broad chest, strong pecks, and defined abs of the man below her, finding more of his gorgeous moles scattered across his torso. Leaning forward, she kissed each one, tracing the pattern they made with her tongue. 

“I want you so badly, sweetheart,” he sighed. “I’ve dreamt about you in my bed, naked, coming apart just for me.” 

Rey moved to straddle herself over his lap as best she could in the tight skirt she wore and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. She could feel the hardness of his straining cock through the few layers of fabric that separated them, and twisted her hips experimentally, rubbing her core against his erection. 

“I’ve wanted that too, Ben,” she said, breaking the kiss. “I’ve never been with anyone before and I don’t know if I’m ready for all the way tonight, but I’d like to continue exploring.” 

“We’ll only go as far as you want,” he assured her.

Rey nodded, leaning forward again to resume kissing Ben, his arm wrapped securely around her waist. 

“Can I take these off?” Rey paused, sitting up and motioning to the button on his slacks. Ben gave her a nod. Slowly, she unfastened the top and dragged down the zipper. He guided her to stand, and she watched as he toed off his dress shoes and socks, lifting his hips and sliding the pants down his long legs. 

His tight boxer briefs hid absolutely nothing. Ben glanced up at her, smirking at her reaction to the obvious erection he was sporting. “Like what you see?” 

“Hmm,” Rey replied with a hum, unable to form an actual word in response. 

“May I?” he leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of her waist. 

“Yes, please,” she whispered. Her eyes closed as he found the side zipper, undoing the hook & eye closure and sliding down the zipper. Letting the skirt fall to the floor, she kicked it to the side and stepped out of her heels. 

She remained in a tiny pair of pink lace panties, the strategically placed appliqués barely hiding the small thatch of chestnut curls underneath. Ben gazed at her, running his hands along the outside of her hips and thighs. 

His fingers lightly brushed the fabric over her core, and Rey knew he would be able to feel the wetness gathering there. He continued to stroke her center, gradually building the pressure as he went. She could feel her legs beginning to tremble as his ministrations grew, whimpering at the sensation. 

“I need more,” she begged, rocking into his hand as she chased after her building pleasure.

“Switch places with me,” he instructed, guiding her to sit on the couch while he settled between her legs. Ben dropped to his knees and reached for the sides of her underwear, pulling them down her thighs and calves until they slipped over the tops of her feet. 

“Please.” Rey had never felt this needy. She spread her legs apart, desperate for more contact. Her pussy dripping from his earlier attention. 

“Fuck, Rey, you’re perfect everywhere,” Ben eagerly took in every inch of her, grabbing beneath her thighs and pulling her center to his waiting mouth. It felt like fire and ice when his lips closed over her engorged clit, sucking it firmly into his mouth. 

Rey threw her head back as he continued to shower the little bud with attention, using his tongue to trace a path down towards her entrance. He teased her briefly, passing over her opening a few times before finally giving in to her incoherent pleas and slipping his tongue inside her cunt. She grabbed frantically at his hair, rocking her hips against his mouth.   
  
When she was almost at the edge, he pulled away, moving his mouth back to her clit and inserting one of his long fingers, pumping the digit in time with the motion of his mouth.  


“I’m going to come,” Rey gasped, feeling the familiar pressure of her climax building. “Don’t fucking stop.” 

Ben increased the pace and pressure of his movements. She could feel her inner walls begin to tighten and flutter around his finger as he stroked her g-spot firmly. With a final circle of his tongue around her clit, she came. Her orgasm rocked her from her core as she felt the light rush of liquid that accompanied it. 

“So good, baby, you did so well,” Ben murmured against her thigh as he lapped up her release. “You taste fucking incredible.” 

Rey recovered for a few moments, pulling Ben’s head against her lower stomach as he sat on the floor nestled between her legs. She could feel her heart beating quickly as she continued to come down from the high of her climax. 

“Let me taste you.” 

Ben looked up at her. “You don’t need to if you’re not ready.”

“Please, I want to,” she urged again. 

He pulled himself to his feet and stood in front of her, his cock still straining against his boxer briefs. Rey sat up and grabbed the waistband, pulling them down in one quick motion, her eyes instantly widening as his dick sprung into view. It was entirely proportionate to his size, long and thick, the tip already leaking with pre-cum. 

She tentatively encircled him with her hand, feeling the impossibly soft skin stretched over his hardened erection. He flinched at her touch as his cock jumped. Rey stuck out her tongue, touching it to the small drop of fluid that was gathered at the head, and swiped across the slit. 

Ben groaned, bucking his hips towards her face as he urged her for more. 

As her confidence built, Rey took the base of his dick in her hand as she wrapped her lips around the thick head. Using the knowledge she’d gleaned over the years from reading and watching and roommates who overshared, she experimentally moved her mouth and hand listening to his reactions as she went. 

“You’re fucking amazing, Rey,” Ben encouraged her as he ran his hand through her hair. “Just like that sweetheart, you make me feel so good.” 

Emboldened by his praise, she worked him even harder. Stroking him with a firm grip as she worked to take more of his impressive length in her mouth. A few times she went too far and gagged, causing Ben to moan louder and tighten his hand in her hair. She’d never thought she would find any amount of roughness a turn on, but she was now craving the moments he pushed her a little too far. 

He began to fuck her face in earnest as she hummed around his cock, desperately keeping the pace he set. She had one hand wrapped around his hips and grabbing at his ass, and as his movements became more erratic she could feel the muscles of his gluten tighten. 

“I’m going to come, sweet girl,” he growled. “If you don’t want me to come in your pretty little mouth, you need to move now.” 

Rey held on tighter, sucking him even harder as his dick begin to pulse again before jet after jet of salty warm cum painted the back of her throat. It caught her off guard at first, but she wrapped her lips firmly around his length and swallowed. Gently pulling her mouth off with a pop, she repeated his motions from earlier, using her tongue to clean up his ejaculation as his cock began to soften. 

He collapsed beside her on the couch and she curled her naked body into his. 

“I’m so sorry, Rey.” He sat up and looked apologetically into her eyes. “I lost control and was too rough, I wasn’t thinking.” 

“Don’t you dare apologize for that,” Rey replied firmly. “It was the hottest thing anyone has ever done with me.” 

Ben gave her a surprised expression before nodding. 

“Can I get you anything?” he asked after another moment. 

“I’m good,” Rey smiled. “Just tired.” 

“Stay with me tonight, we don’t need to do anything else, and I can lend you some clothes to sleep in.”

“I’d love to,” Rey agreed with a lazy grin before adding, “who says we need clothes though?” 

“You don’t need to convince me,” Ben replied. He stood and swept Rey into a bridal carry. “I have a shower big enough for four people. We should go get washed off and then eat dessert and finish Galaxy Quest naked.” 

Rey made a cheerful sound and tightened her arms around Ben’s neck as he carried her from the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite all the way yet, but soon ;-) 
> 
> I love hearing from you guys, the comments really make my day and it's so fun to see what you think will happen!
> 
> The next chapter directly follows this one so I'm going to try and have it up earlier than Friday.


	9. The Weekend After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben have a busy weekend apart following their night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a reupload of Chapter Nine, if you read it before 8 pm PST on 6/23 this is a newer version with a few changes I felt like I needed to make to better tell the story the way I'm intending.

The next morning Ben woke up to Rey in his arms, her head resting on his chest as she snored lightly. They’d stayed up late the night before, taking a long shower together before returning to the kitchen, still naked, to eat dessert from the serving bowl with two spoons. 

It had started innocently until she’d _accidentally_ dropped the contents of her spoon onto her chest. The following events led to a mess in the kitchen, another shower, and the movie completely forgotten. Ben wasn’t sure if he’d ever look at chocolate mousse the same way again.

“We slept in,” he murmured into her hair as he felt her stir. 

She sat up quickly and glanced over at his clock, letting out a deep sigh. “I thought I was going to be late for work.” 

“When do you need to be there?” Ben asked, sitting up to join her. 

“Not until eleven, so an hour and a half. I should probably get ready.” 

She slid out from underneath the covers and padded across the carpeted floor to where she had set her purse on the armchair in the corner. 

He stood and stretched, watching as Rey pulled a rolled-up pair of khaki pants and a black tee from the bottom of her bag. 

“Just in case I ended up staying the night,” she explained with a wink. 

Ben’s heart flipped at the knowledge that she had been hoping he’d ask her to stay.

“I was thinking I would go with you to the cafe before your shift, stop in and say hello to Maz since she’s been asking,” he mentioned casually as he walked past her to his closet to find an outfit. 

“She’d love that!” Rey agreed.

*

They left his apartment building and stepped out into the warm sunshine. He led her up the street two blocks to a crosswalk that took them directly across to one of the entrances into the park. 

“Did you want to walk through the park and take the train from 57th?” Ben asked earning a nod of approval from Rey. 

Following the winding path, they joined the sea of locals and tourists alike enjoying the gorgeous Saturday morning weather.

“I’m jealous that you can just walk across the street anytime you want and spend time here,” she said squeezing his hand. 

“You’re always welcome to stay over and enjoy the perks,” he offered, his tone light even though he meant it seriously. One evening of her sleeping in his arms and he didn’t want to go back to nights without her. 

“Be careful, Ben, or you might get sick of me,” Rey teased in return.

“I could never,” he insisted, leaning down and kissing her firmly on the lips. “I loved waking up with you this morning.” 

“Me too,” she agreed. 

*

“Benjamin Solo!”

Ben looked to see the short bespectacled woman standing at the counter, glaring at him with her hands on her hips as he entered the cafe behind Rey. 

“Hello, Maz.” He approached her with a smile, bending over nearly in half to engulf her in a hug. 

“It’s been two years,” Maz lectured sternly. “I had to wait until you started dating one of my baristas to see you again, I could’ve been dead before _that_ happened.” 

“Maz!” Rey let out a bark of laughter. 

“My apologies, Maz, I shouldn’t have gone so long without coming by,” Ben explained. 

The older woman snorted and swatted at his arm. “Hmph.”

“I need to go get ready, thanks for coming with me,” Rey told Ben, giving his hand a soft squeeze. 

“Yes, go clock in. We’ve been busy today. I’m stealing this one and taking him back to catch up while I finish the baking.” Maz motioned to Ben. “You can have a short break to say goodbye when I’m finished with him.” 

Ben looked at Rey for help as Maz tugged his long arm towards the back, but she just shook her head in laughter and disappeared into the break room. 

“You love her,” Maz noted simply once they were in the kitchen, away from prying ears. 

“Maz, we’ve been dating officially for a day,” Ben argued. 

A loud snort came from below the counter where Maz had knelt to grab another mixing bowl. “I didn’t ask how long you’d been dating. I can tell that you love her. It’s obvious.” 

“I do,” he admitted softly. 

“Good,” she replied with a nod. “Rey is very special, she didn’t have a good childhood, but she has a heart of gold and has worked hard to get to where she has.” 

“I know,” he agreed. “She’s amazing.” 

“I may have known you longer, Benjamin, but don’t think I won’t whoop your ass if you hurt that girl. She loves you too, I can tell by the way she lights up whenever I mention you.” 

He watched as Maz moved around the kitchen, preparing more batter, and pulling completed pastries from the oven with practiced ease. She stopped and took a fresh scone off a recently removed tray, setting it on a napkin and handing it to Ben. 

“Lemon poppyseed.” He smiled and took a bite. “Still my favorite.” 

“How are things going in your life otherwise?” Maz asked as she began working on another batch of dough. 

“Better,” Ben admitted. “Working at Resistance is what I should have done all along.” 

She shrugged and dusted her hands off on her apron. “Well, we all make stupid mistakes, some of us just make really stupid mistakes, and then we learn and still make mistakes, but hopefully less stupid ones.” 

Maz had been furious when he’d joined First Order, she’d been the first one to call him out on it and had firmly taken Leia’s side. He hadn’t seen her for years, too angry to admit he was embarrassed and guilty for hurting everyone. When he’d finally come to apologize, she’d hit him upside the head and informed him that he’d been even dumber than she thought. Then she’d hugged him tightly and served him a platter of pastries and a huge mug of hot chocolate. 

“I should get going,” Ben said after he finished his scone. 

“Don’t wait so long to come back,” Maz told him sternly. “You have a very good reason out there, which means that you no longer have any good excuses to avoid coming by to see me.” 

“I know,” he promised. “I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.” 

“Good, now go and tell that girl of yours that she can have five minutes to say goodbye.” 

“Thanks for everything, Maz.” Ben gave her another hug and headed out towards the cafe. 

“Ben!” She called after him. “No making out in my coffee shop!” 

****

Rey arrived back at her apartment that evening after she finished helping Maz close down the shop. Kaydel had texted her earlier saying they’d be out bar hopping and encouraged her to change and come back out and meet up with them. Rey had politely declined, deciding instead to work on her story, especially since she couldn’t get the memory of Ben’s head between her legs off her mind.

Opening the document that contained her third chapter, she scrolled to the end and read through her latest draft. While considerably better, she now understood Kylo’s criticism over not feeling the emotion of the scene. Last night was the first time Rey had ever had another man’s mouth on her cunt and all of the reading and watching, and listening to roommates who overshared, had not prepared her for the emotions of experiencing the act firsthand. 

She began to type, adding more descriptive terms and words of dialogue. Editing her pacing of the scene to highlight the impact of how Violet felt as Ryder brought her closer to climax, and show how conflicted her emotions had made her. She replayed the events of the previous night, remembering how Ben’s strong hands had felt on her thighs and the way his tongue had so eagerly attacked her every crevice. Careful to avoid adding physical details that seemed too intimate to share, she focused on using her own feelings as inspiration. 

Satisfied with the completed scene, she saved a new copy and loaded her Passion and Prose inbox to send it off to Kylo. If his pretentious ass didn’t find _that_ scene worthy, she didn’t know what would. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 3, Final Edit** ****

Kylo,

I know you are only expecting chapter four this weekend, but I had some time to work on chapter three and added a bit more to the ending scene. 

Hopefully, they meet your impossible standards. 

Kira 

Taking advantage of her motivation to write, she opened chapter four and began working out the second half of the chapter. She started with a few paragraphs covering Ryder’s thoughts as he found himself just as conflicted as Violet. It wasn’t enough though, she was still several hundred words short of her usual chapter count. Suddenly an idea formed in her head, and she began to type again. 

Four hundred and fifty-two words of pure smut later, Rey finished typing. 

Attaching that file to another message, she sent that one off to Kylo as well and shut her computer off for the night. 

*

It was just before eleven when Jess, Kaydel, and Rose came pouring into the apartment later that evening. Rey was still awake, watching a random episode of Say Yes to the Dress on the TV and eating salt and vinegar chips. 

“You should’ve come out with us, you’re such a party pooper!” Kaydel giggled, obviously drunk, as she plopped down to Rey on the couch. 

“Yeah, you missed out on _so_ much fun,” Jess added as she joined them. 

“Apparently,” Rey replied, looking at her roommates in amusement. 

“We’ll forgive you if you give us all the details from last night,” Kaydel told her, stealing Rey’s bag of chips. “You can’t have these back until you do.”

“Fine.” Rey rolled her eyes. “We didn’t have sex.” 

“What?!” Jess and Rose both gasped. 

“But we did everything else,” Rey continued with a sneaky grin. 

“Rey Jackson, look at you!” Kaydel crowed, throwing her arms around her. 

“More details please, how was he? Is it big?” Jess insisted, grabbing the bag of chips from Kaydel and taking a handful. 

“It was incredible. He was gentle with me, but I let him get a little rough when I went down on him and it was the hottest thing ever,” Rey described, blushing a little at the details. “And he’s very proportionate, it was kind of scary.” 

Her roommates all burst out into laughter. 

“You are so lucky, Rey,” Rose sighed. 

“I saw you getting close to that redhead at that last bar we were at,” Jess teased Rose with a grin. 

“Ooh he was cute, didn’t you get his number?” Kaydel asked. 

“Yes, okay, but we’re talking about Rey and her man here. Don’t go changing the subject,” Rose scolded lightly. 

“We’re absolutely coming back to this” Jess told her before turning back to Rey. “So what else happened?” 

“He made us dinner, then we started watching a movie but that didn’t last long, things happened, we took a shower together and slept naked in his bed. This morning he made us breakfast and we went on a walk through Central Park, and then he took the subway with me to Maz’s so he could say hello to her,” she said as she recalled the events of the previous evening, leaving out the more personal details. “Oh, and during dinner, he asked me to be official and I said yes.” 

Rose gasped first followed by Kaydel and Jess as they tacked her onto the couch in a group hug. Rey rolled her eyes and let them have a few moments before she successfully changed the subject, moving the attention over to Rose and her mystery ginger. 

Rey was almost asleep a short while later when her phone vibrated from her nightstand. 

**Ben: Sorry I am texting so late, I hope this doesn’t wake you. I lost track of time getting things done tonight, but I wanted to let you know that I am missing you and can’t wait until I can see you again.** ****

Rey grinned and sat up, typing out a quick reply. 

_Rey: I’m still up. I miss you too. Last night was incredible and I can’t wait to do it all over again. See you on Monday. Xx._

**Ben: Xx.**

****

Ben had been surprised when he’d received not one, but two, chapter drafts from Kira in his Passion and Prose inbox that evening. What surprised him, even more, is that she’d somehow managed to write decent smut for a change. The encounter at the market from her third chapter a noticeable improvement and the fourth chapter draft she’d sent had a very detailed male masturbation scene that had been written from Ryder’s perspective as he fantasized about his encounter with Violet. 

He could’ve and should’ve complimented her on both, but his habit of being an unnecessary asshole to Kira won.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Who Taught You?** ****

Kira,

I’m almost at a loss for words, your latest chapters are a remarkable improvement - not quite to my “impossible” standards as you wish, but an improvement. It’s a shame you took so long to listen to my advice or we could be much further along in the process. 

Wherever this newfound knowledge came from, consider using it as a source in the future. It’s obviously helping. 

I’m signing off on chapter three and will have edits on chapter four ready for you by Sunday evening. 

Kylo

Leaning back in his desk chair, he pulled up Kira’s 4th chapter again. He’d been missing Rey since that morning when he’d kissed her goodbye at Maz’s. His mind had constantly drifted to the night before and the way she’d made him come undone. How her lips had wrapped around his cock, surrounding him with the wet heat of her mouth. 

Unbuckling his belt and unfastening his pants, he slid his cock from his underwear and began to stroke himself as he reread her scene depicting Ryder’s masturbation. As Ryder replayed his encounter with Violet from the market in his head, Ben found himself picturing Rey as he brought himself to climax. 

When he returned from cleaning himself up, there was a new message waiting. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: I’ll Take Your Advice** ****

Kylo,

If it means less time dealing with your snark, I suppose I can take my new source into consideration more often. 

Thanks for signing off on chapter three and I’ll watch for your chapter four edits tomorrow. 

Kira

****

“Get dressed! We’re going to brunch!” Jess stuck her head into Rey and Rose’s room. Rose was still waking up, but Rey was awake and glaring at her phone. She’d been raging mad ever since she read his first message, and his apologetic response to her going off on him hadn’t done much to calm her mood. He was obviously fucking with her to piss her off at this point, and she was over it. 

“Good. I need Mimosas,” Rey agreed, pushing back her covers and getting out of bed. 

“Rooose!” Jess called in a sing-song voice. “Brunch time!” 

“Mmmph fine,” Rose mumbled from beneath her blanket. 

Their favorite neighborhood spot for brunch was Jawa, a small restaurant a few blocks from their place. It wasn’t crowded by the time they arrived, and they were seated after a few minutes at a table for four near the back. 

A waitress came by and took their drink orders, mimosas for everyone, then left them to browse the menu. Rey decided on her usual avocado toast topped with a fried egg, and a side of fruit, before setting the laminated booklet to the side. 

“I think I’m ready to have sex,” she announced to the table. 

Jess looked up first, her eyes wide. “Rey!” 

“Seriously?!” Kaydel shrieked, earning stares from various diners at nearby tables. 

“Rey, you can’t blurt that out at brunch when we haven’t even had our drinks yet,” Rose scolded her with a smirk. 

“When are you supposed to see Ben next?” Kaydel asked, lowering her voice. 

“We haven’t discussed our next date yet,” she admitted. “I’m hoping this week sometime.” 

“Text him and ask him out, you don’t need to wait for him,” Jess encouraged. 

“Right now?” Rey raised her brows

“Yes, right now,” Jess smirked. “I’m holding your mimosa hostage when it comes unless you send that text.” 

“Fine. Bossy,” Rey huffed and pulled out her phone. She opened the messages app and clicked on their conversation, typing out a quick message.

_Rey: Good Morning. I can’t stop thinking about you. I’d love to go on another date with you this week if you have a free evening._

“Let me see,” Kaydel demanded, holding out her hand. Rey showed her the message on the phone.

“Perfect,” Rose complimented. “Ooh, I see bubbles, he’s writing back!” 

Rey flipped the phone around and watched the screen anxiously for a response to appear. 

**Ben: Good Morning, beautiful. I can’t stop thinking about you either. You must have read my mind, I was planning to text you later today to find out what your schedule was like this week.** ****

**Ben: I’m free every night after work, and would love to spend any of them with you.** ****

“He’s free any day this week, will I sound too desperate if I suggest tomorrow?” Rey questioned looking at her friends around the table. 

“Not at all, go get you some,” Jess encouraged her to the accompanying nods of Rose and Kaydel.

_Rey: Is tomorrow after work good?_

**Ben: The best.** ****

_Rey: Can I come back to your place again? We can order takeout if you don’t want to cook and maybe continue what we started Friday night?_

**Ben: Absolutely. Takeout is fine, but I’m more than happy to cook for you too. Anything you want, sweetheart.** ****

**Ben: Did you mean to continue the movie we never finished? Or the thing that distracted us from the movie?** ****

_Rey: You’ll just have to find out ;-)_

**Ben: You’re going to kill me** ****

_Rey: You love it._

_Rey: Can I text you later? I’m at brunch with the roomies and I see our drinks coming._

**Ben: Of course, have fun. I’ll talk to you later. Bye, sweetheart.** ****

_Rey: Bye :)_

“So, in honor of your big date tomorrow night, I vote we go shopping,” Kaydel declared as they were finishing up their food. 

“I second,” Jess agreed. “We already went through your sexy underwear for your last date and picked out the only cute set. You need more.” 

Rey didn’t love shopping, but she had to admit that her clothes obsessed roommates were correct. She’d loved how sexy the simple pink lace bra and underwear set had made her feel. Maybe it was time to invest in a few other pieces, especially now that she had a reason to wear them.

“Alright,” she agreed after thinking it over for a moment. “Nowhere too crazy, I haven’t started getting paid for my stories yet and I only worked one shift at Maz’s this weekend so I can’t spend a ton.” 

Kaydel scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. “Please, we’ve got several hookups from work and we are totally taking advantage of them. We’re going to score you some serious deals today,” she promised. 

The magazine that Kaydel and Jess worked for was the most popular woman’s lifestyle and fashion magazine in the country and they were always getting all sorts of perks and swag from various popular brands and businesses. 

With their food paid for, the group headed for the nearest subway station to take the train to the Upper East Side. Jess and Kaydel had insisted on hitting one of the hottest shopping areas and were eagerly discussing all of the places they wanted to visit. 

“I thought we were getting like two sets of lingerie,” Rey groaned after Jess and Kaydel had added the 6th store to their ever-growing list. 

“Something like that,” Kaydel replied evasively. 

“You might not find something at every place, Rey, we have to cover all of our bases,” Jess explained. 

“Yes! So you can be ready to _round_ the bases,” Kaydel added with a giggle. 

Rey rolled her eyes immediately into the back of her head. “You did not just make that joke, Rose, tell me Kaydel did not just make that joke.”

“Oh, she definitely did,” Rose deadpanned, trying to suppress her own laughter. 

“Impossible, the whole lot of you.” She glared at her friends before breaking into a smile.

*

“Four hours. _Four_ hours. I don’t think I’ve shopped for four hours total this year before today,” Rey whined, sitting down on a bench.

Kaydel and Jess had dragged them around to countless stores, making Rey try on all sorts of lingerie before she’d put her foot down after purchasing the third piece. Then they’d taken a break to eat a late lunch, where Kaydel decided that they should all go pick out new body products. Thus had begun another whirlwind of shopping. 

Her feet hurt, her arms were tired, and she had a slight headache from smelling too many different bath bombs at Lush. 

“You’ll be thanking us on Tuesday,” Jess assured her. “And I’m pretty sure that your boyfriend will be thanking us too.” 

“I’m going to be useless to him if I’m too exhausted to do anything” Rey mumbled 

“Rey, speaking of, isn’t that him?” Rose asked quietly, discreetly tilting her head to the left. 

She looked to where Rose was indicating and sure enough, Ben was heading towards them, dressed in a nice shirt and slacks and carrying flowers. 

“What the fuck,” Jess hissed. “Do you think he’s going on another date?” 

“I’m going to kill him,” Kaydel threatened. 

“Guys, stop. I’m sure there’s an explanation,” Rey hushed them. She stood up and turned to face the direction Ben was coming from, waiting for him to catch her eye. 

“Rey?!” He called once he saw her, a huge smile spreading across his face. She watched as he picked up the pace, rushing to meet her and gather her into a tight hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Shopping with my roommates,” she smiled and stepped back to point out the three other women and the assortment of bags. “What are you doing?”

“Dinner with my parents,” he explained and then nodded down at the flowers. “These are for my mother.” 

Rey shot her roommates a look to say _see, told you there was a reason_. 

“Sounds like fun,” she replied, grabbing his free hand and taking him closer to her friends. “Ben, these are my roommates: Rose, Jess, and Kaydel.” Rey pointed to each girl in turn. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Rose grinned. 

“Yes, Rey’s been talking about you for months,” Kaydel added, earning a glare from Rey. 

“It’s nice to meet you all as well,” Ben replied with a blush.

“We’ve been helping Rey shop for your guys’ next date,” Jess added. 

“Jess!” Rey blurted out, mortified as she watched Ben’s gaze drop to the various bags, undoubtedly noticing the logos of a few and realizing what the contents inside would include. 

“I can see that,” he stared at her intently, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. “I didn’t think I could look forward to tomorrow any more than I already was, the next twenty-four hours are going to be hell.”

Rey responded with a smile, pulling him closer and giving him a soft kiss. 

“You two are adorable,” Kaydel cooed. 

“Uh, thank you,” Ben replied nervously, realizing that Rey’s three roommates were eagerly watching them. “I better get going, I told them to expect me by six and I still have several blocks left.” 

“Alright,” Rey smiled. “I’ll see you in the office in the morning.” 

Ben gave her a nod and another soft kiss, before exchanging goodbyes with the others and walking up the street. 

“You are so fucking lucky if he is as proportionate as you say he is!” Jess exclaimed loudly. 

Rey crossed her fingers that Ben was out of earshot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sat down and tried to estimate how many chapters there will be to add a final count but didn’t end up with an answer. Originally I wrote smaller chapters, but when the first one ended up longer after editing and the second nearly as long as the first, I started rearranging. There have been a lot of combining two chapters into one, a couple of instances of three chapters into two, and so on. I ended up stuck when I tried to estimate forward and realized some of my planned end of chapter cliffhangers were now in the middle of chapters - so there will have to be some working things around, but nothing that will change my planned plot or posting timeline 😉
> 
> I will say that we’re just about 1/3rd of the way through though, there’s still a lot to cover! 
> 
> While I’ll continue with the mostly fluffy, smutty, fun - more serious topics and some angsty moments are coming soon. There will be more backstory for Ben and Rey dealing with their insecurities and stuff in their past and it’s not always easy. I’m not one for drawing out angst though so things are always resolved pretty quickly. I just wanted to give you a heads up since things have been fairly light-hearted so far and will continue to be so for the most part! 
> 
> I’m still enjoying your theories and predictions and no one has guessed yet which is fun. Honestly, I have way too much fun with the Kylo/Kira banter and writing ridiculous coincidences so don’t expect them to find out too soon.
> 
> (there should probably be a counter for number of times Kylo and Kira make references to their real life relationship without realizing who they are talking to - I can’t stop putting them in. No regrets!) 
> 
> This is my longest author’s note but I wanted to give a little more info this time. Maz would give you a fresh lemon poppyseed scone for reading this wall of text if she could ❤️
> 
> As always, thank you for the kind words and support and putting up with my questionable sense of humor 😂


	10. Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut. That's all I've got.

“Finally,” Ben sighed, as he unlocked the door to his apartment, stepping to the side to let Rey enter first. 

“You’re telling me,” she replied as she walked into the entryway.

It had been an impossibly long Monday, and all he had thought about that day was everything he wanted to do with and _to_ Rey that evening. She’d been teasing him, unintentionally or not, with the hint of light blue lace that occasionally made an appearance beneath the slightly open collar of her shirt. He’d found himself unable to focus on his work, falling behind on at least one of his deadlines. 

Ben had decided that it was worth it. 

He followed Rey into the living room, where she was already browsing her phone for restaurants that delivered to his address. They’d agreed to order take out for dinner but had reached an impasse when neither could choose a type of cuisine.

“You pick, I’m honestly okay with anything at this point,” Ben told her, watching as she intently scrolled through her screen. 

“Chinese?” Rey suggested after a moment. “This place has good reviews.” 

She turned her phone to face Ben, showing him the logo for a small restaurant he recognized from a few blocks away.

“Works for me. I’ll eat whatever, so order as much as you want,” he told her, pulling his wallet from his back pocket and fishing out a black credit card. “Use this to pay, I’m going to change.” 

Rey smiled appreciatively as she took the plastic card from his grasp and set it on the table in front of her. 

Ben made his way to his bedroom, quickly stripping off the dress shirt, pants, and tie that made up his usual work outfit. Finding a pair of jeans and a soft cotton tee, he slipped them on and went to rejoin Rey in the living room. 

“I’m just about done, can you check it over and make sure I didn’t miss anything you might want?” she asked, handing him her phone. Ben glanced through the list noticing that she shared many of his favorite dishes. 

“It looks perfect,” he assured her as he returned the phone. Rey grinned and pressed a few more times on the screen. 

“Ordered!” She announced cheerfully. “It’ll be here in about 30 minutes.” 

“Thanks for deciding for me,” Ben replied.

Rey stood up and grabbed the tote bag that she had carried with her into the living room. “I’m going to change as well,” she said as she headed towards his bedroom. 

When she emerged a few minutes later, she was in a pair of black leggings and an oversized grey tunic. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he admired how she looked so effortlessly beautiful. 

“What should we do while we wait?” She asked as she came to sit back beside him on the couch. 

“Hmm, I can think of a thing or two,” Ben murmured, pulling her into his lap as she squealed. Taking her head in his hands, he kissed her softly to start, slowly building the intensity. She pushed him onto his back, fully straddling his waist and grinding her pelvis against his. 

The doorbell rang just as Ben was removing her top. 

“Shit timing,” she growled, hastily pulling her shirt back down and hopping off his lap. “I’ll get it, you’re umm -“ 

“Right,” he finished, following her gaze to the obvious tent in his jeans. 

He heard her open the door and greet the delivery driver with a cheerful hello and a thank you. Moments later she came back into the living room holding the two bags that contained their order. 

“Are we eating in here or in the kitchen?” she asked.

“We can eat in here, let me grab plates and silverware, why don’t you put everything on the dining table,” He suggested, getting off the couch and heading into the kitchen as she began to unpack the various take out boxes.

They ate their food on the couch with a random TV show playing in the background. Ben watched as Rey eagerly ate her food. She was never shy when eating in front of him and he loved that about her. 

Lately, he was discovering that he loved many things about her. 

****

Rey sat slowly sipping the full glass of wine that Ben had poured for her. He’d insisted on doing all the cleanup since she had placed the order. It didn’t sound fair to her, but she too comfortable to fight him over it. 

She’d been a horny ball of nerves all day. Underneath her outfit, she wore the light blue lace bra and panty set that her roommates had helped her pick out on their shopping trip. It was similar to the pink lace set she already owned, but with fewer appliqués and left very little to the imagination. She bit her lip in anticipation of Ben’s reaction. 

“That’s done,” Ben announced as he came back into the living area. “What did you want to do next?” 

“You,” Rey blurted out in response. “I want to do you.” 

Apparently, half a glass of wine was all it took for Rey Jackson to become _very_ forward and disgustingly cliche. 

“Sweetheart, are you sure?” he asked softly, coming to sit next to her on the couch. 

Rey smiled and nodded. “I am.” 

“Care to join me in the bedroom, then?” Ben asked, holding out his hand towards her. 

Rey stood and placed her hand in his, following behind him as they walked down the small hallway and into his master suite. 

Ben lifted her into his arms as soon as they entered his room, the sun was beginning to set illuminating the space with a warm orange glow. She sighed as he laid her on top of his down feather comforter and proceeded to crawl over her, placing open-mouthed kisses on her neck. 

“You’re so gorgeous,” he murmured into her ear as he moved his lips along her jawline. “I’m going to take such good care of you, sweetheart.” 

“Ben, please,” she pleaded as he continued to work his lips across her neck, arching her hips to meet his. 

“Patience,” Ben whispered against her lips before he began to kiss her in earnest. She felt the tip of his tongue trace against the seam and opened her mouth eagerly for him. Her tongue fought against his as he devoured every inch of her mouth. Rey could taste the faint hint of Chinese food and white wine, and something else that was uniquely Ben. 

Feeling the hardness of his erection digging into her lower stomach as he pressed his pelvis firmly against hers she reached for the button of his jeans, desperate to free him from his clothes. 

“Off,” She demanded.

Ben obeyed as he lifted himself with a smirk, holding his arms out to the side in permission. Rey grinned and sat up, eagerly unfastening his jeans and unceremoniously shoving them down to his ankles, along with his boxer briefs. He pulled his cotton tee over his head while kicking his pants and boxers off, leaving him gloriously naked. 

“Like what you see?” he asked with a playful smirk on his face. 

Rey nodded slowly, unapologetically eyeing him over, recommitting every plane of his body to memory. “Very much so.”

“May I?” he questioned as he brought his hands to the hem of her top. 

“Please.” 

Her answer was barely a whisper as the tunic was pulled over her head. She impatiently began to remove her leggings, leaning back on her elbows to observe Ben’s expression as he took in the lingerie she wore.

He stood over her staring intently, his lips parted ever so slightly and his cheeks tinted pink. Slowly, he ran a finger over one of her nipples as it strained against the sheer fabric. Rey shivered at his touch, arching her back to him, silently begging for more. 

“Fuck, Rey,” he growled. “You don’t even know what seeing those bags did to me.” 

Rey gave him a cunning smile as she remembered his reaction from the previous evening. 

He traced a finger along the band of the bra before carefully pulling the garment over her head and throwing it to the floor with the rest of their discarded clothes. The matching thong was next leaving Rey spread across his bed, completely exposed. Ben took no time dropping to his knees, grabbing her legs and pulling her swiftly to the edge of the bed. Spreading her thighs, he eagerly dipped his head between her thighs and began to lick broad stripes from her entrance to her clit. 

“Ben, holy fuck!” Rey gasped at the sudden attention. “Fuck that’s amazing.” She continued to moan as he began to suck at the sensitive little bud, sliding a finger inside her pussy as he did. 

“You’re so tight,” he groaned against her center. “I’m going to feel so good inside this sweet little cunt.” 

“Please, Ben, I need more,” Rey begged, desperate for more fullness. She felt him add a second finger alongside the first, stretching her ever so gently. He continued to focus his mouth on her clit, alternating between flicks of his tongue and sucking the whole thing in his mouth. The latter had her keening and arching off the bed with indescribable pleasure. Her hand desperately pulling at the dark locks on top of his head. 

“Come for me, Rey, sweetheart,” he urged. “You’re so fucking beautiful like this. I need to feel you come on my fingers and then I’ll let you come on my cock.” 

His words pushed her closer to the edge as she chased her growing climax. Taking the hand that wasn’t wrapped in his hair she began to pinch her nipples and bucked her pelvis against his mouth and hand. “Don’t stop, don’t ever stop, I’m so close,” she was incoherent with pleasure. 

“Now Rey,” he commanded. That was all it took; she let go and her orgasm came flooding over her. He frantically licked at her as she trembled in the aftermath, not stopping until she had gone still. 

“I can’t feel my legs,” Rey laughed. 

Ben crawled up alongside her, gathering her into his arms, pressing his nose into her hair and kissing the side of her head. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he murmured.

Rey shifted onto her side and began to trace light patterns around his nipples, slowly working her fingertips down his torso, stroking along the contours of his abs. She could feel his muscles tense as she continued her exploration, following the trail of dark hair that led from beneath his belly button and into the thatch of curls at his groin. Her fingers brushed over the coarse hair before finally reaching the base of his erect cock. Boldly, she encircled him, lightly applying pressure as she moved her wrist in an upward motion. 

He placed his large hand over hers, stopping her before she could go any further. “As much as I would love for you to continue, I need to be inside you or I’m going to come too quickly,” He confessed. 

“Alright,” Rey replied, removing her hand and crawling up alongside him. 

They lay there together for a moment, his lips brushing against her forehead. 

“I need to get a condom.” 

Rey watched as Ben sat up and began to lean towards the top drawer of his bedside table. 

“I’ve been on the pill since I was 18, and I’m clean,” she explained, placing her hand on his arm. “I’m okay with it if you don’t want to use one.” 

“Are you sure, Rey?” he turned back towards her after removing a small bottle from the drawer and shutting it again. “I’m clean as well, I haven’t been with anyone in a couple of years.”

She didn’t want to think about the other women Ben had been with in the past. Shaking those thoughts from her head she looked at him and nodded. “I trust you, and I want to feel everything.”

Ben smiled in response, rolling his body over hers and placing a kiss on her lips. 

“Tell me if I go to fast, or if you need to stop,” he said, gazing intently into her eyes. 

“I will,” she agreed, anxiously shifting her body underneath his massive frame.

He began to kiss her again, starting with her lips and working his way down her neck until he was hovering just centimeters above her left nipple. Rey could feel the warmth of his breath tempting and teasing her as he softly blew across the hardened peak. Frantically she pulled at his shoulders to bring him closer. She heard him chuckle before finally touching the tip of his tongue to the top of her hardened peak. 

“So sweet,” he murmured. “You taste so amazing everywhere, I don’t think I can ever get enough.” His words vibrated against her chest. 

“More, please, Ben, I need more,” Rey urged. 

Ben paused for a moment and then engulfed almost her entire breast into his mouth, sucking firmly before releasing her with a wet pop. He repeated the action on the other side, starting a pattern of sucking, then softly biting, followed by soothing with gentle laps of his tongue. Rey slid her hand between them, searching out her clit, and rubbing herself with firm, quick circles. 

“That’s it, sweetheart, I need you nice and wet for me,” he instructed. “Play with that pretty little pussy while I devour these gorgeous tits.” 

She whimpered, his words driving her to the edge. 

He gave her nipple one last kiss before adjusting himself above her. Sitting back on his knees, he took his cock in one hand and reached for the small bottle of lube he’d placed on the table beside them. She watched as he drizzled the clear lube into the palm of his hand, stroking it generously up and down his length. Tossing the bottle to the side, he lowered himself slowly until he was balancing on his forearm, his chest hovering above hers. 

She felt the blunt tip of his cock touch her clit as Ben positioned himself at her center. Slowly, he began to rub against her slit, teasing her as he spread the mixture of the lube with her arousal. Ben guided the tip of his dick to her entrance and gradually began to push forward. 

“You’re so tight,” he groaned, stopping just past the head of his cock. Rey could feel the burning stretch in her core as she adjusted to his size. He rocked the tip in and out, giving her body time to accommodate his girth. 

“Ben,” she whispered his name, lifting her hips upwards, craving his fullness. 

He responded by pushing further inside her heat. She whimpered as he pressed deeper, her inner walls gripping him tightly. Rey felt stretched to the limit, the soreness radiating through her core as he fully seated himself. Ben paused briefly and began to pull back. 

“Fuck. You feel better than I imagined.” He began to rock his hips into hers with a gentle motion, easing her into the feeling. She could feel the burn begin to ease as her body adjusted to him, and she began to mimic his motions, rolling her pelvis to meet his thrusts.

She grabbed at his back, her hips moving in time with his. “Ben, please.” 

“Rey, sweetheart, I’m so close,” he said against her neck. “I need you to come first, what do you need me to do?”

She didn’t speak, instead, she arched her back towards him, pushing out her chest. His mouth found her breast and latched firmly around the rosy tip. Rey brought one of her hands to her clit, and began to thrum quickly against the engorged bundle of nerves. Every inch of her body felt like it was about to catch fire as she erupted into a powerful climax. 

“Fuck, Ben. Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she chanted as she rode out her orgasm, grasping him tightly against her. 

“Good girl,” Ben praised her, continuing to lick at her breast as he moved his cock in and out of her. 

“I need you to come inside me,” Rey begged, still catching her breath. 

“Wrap your legs around my hips,” he instructed.

She immediately complied, locking her ankles at the small of his back. He placed his hands on either side of her and began to move again. The slow rocking quickly turned into frantic thrusts as he pounded into her cunt over and over. Rey watched as his face twisted, turning red before he threw his head back and came with a shout. She could feel the warmth of his seed splashing against her inner walls in several long jets as his cock pulsed with each release. 

Gently, he pulled out, and collapsed onto the bed next to Rey, pulling her into his arms and cradling her head against his glistening chest. She could feel the intense pounding of his heart rate as he recovered from his own climax. Sighing contentedly as he placed a kiss on top of her head, she closed her eyes and melted into his tight embrace. 

****

He felt the warmth of her steady and shallow breathing against the bare skin of his chest. Her body was still curled against his side, one arm draped across his torso and her legs partially intertwined with his. Ben shifted carefully, adjusting himself into a more comfortable position without disrupting the sleeping woman in his arms. They couldn’t stay like this forever, but for the time being, he was content to hold her and savor the moment. 

“Ben.” Her drowsy voice broke through the silence a short time later. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked, running his hand down her spine. 

Rey sighed and buried her face against his chest. “Sticky, but content." He could feel her lips curl into a smile as she answered.

“We need to shower,” Ben whispered, earning an immediate nod in agreement from Rey. 

Ben entered the adjacent bathroom first, flipping the switch that would turn on the lighting fixture closest to the shower, bathing the room in a soft glow. Rey followed shortly behind, squeezing by him before she disappeared behind the wall that hid the toilet out of view. 

The walk-in shower dominated one side of his bathroom. Made up of grey tile, the entire front was a large glass door and a built-in bench spanned the length of the back wall. Several shower heads were positioned on either side, as well as a large rainfall feature installed into the ceiling. 

Stepping inside, Ben adjusted the various knobs to turn on his preferred combination of jets, letting the water heat up to a comfortable temperature. Rey joined him a moment later, immersing herself under the spray with a moan. 

“I’m moving in just to use this every day,” she said as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back to wet her hair. 

Ben knew her remark was meant flippantly, but it didn’t stop the warm feeling from spreading through his chest. He’d known since she the first time she stepped into his apartment that she belonged there. 

“You’re welcome to stay over anytime,” he whispered against her ear as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. 

Rey returned the kiss eagerly, pressing her wet naked flesh to his own. He could feel his dick respond, jumping ever so slightly against her lower stomach. Pulling back, he put some space between them. 

Her brow furrowed and she looked at him with a confused expression. “Is something wrong?” she asked. 

Ben shook his head with a huff of laughter. “My cock thinks we’re going for round two.”  Not that he wouldn’t love to bury himself deep inside of her again, but he was trying to play the gentleman despite his traitorous appendage. 

Rey’s face relaxed and she gave him that look that she used when she scolded him for being ridiculous in the office. “And if I were to agree with your cock?” ahe stepped forward, taking him in hand. 

“You’re not too sore?” he asked, suppressing the groan he nearly made as she increased the pace and pressure of her strokes. 

She shook her head. “Not enough to care.”

He growled, unable to hold back, taking her by the waist and spinning her around so she stood facing the bench. Placing his hand on her lower back, he pressed lightly and encouraged her to bend forward. She caught on to his intention quickly, putting her hands down to brace herself against the cool tiled seat. 

“Is this okay?” he sought her consent as he pressed his now rock hard dick into the cleft of her pert ass. 

Rey nodded, spreading her legs wider as she leaned down further against her arms, exposing him to every delicious inch of her flushed and swollen pink sex. Placing his hands on her hips, he bent slightly at the knees to accommodate their height difference and inserted the head of his cock into her waiting body. 

“Yes, like that,” he heard her whimper. 

“You’re taking my cock so well, sweetheart. You’re so tight and warm,” Ben groaned as his hips brushed against the swell of her ass, his entire length tucked into Rey’s impossibly snug channel. 

“Fuck Ben,” she cried out as he withdrew partway before snapping his hips forward and plunging back inside again. “You feel so much bigger like this, I fucking love how you fill my cunt.” He pounded into her at a steady rhythm, listening to her begging become incoherent sobs. 

Bending his torso forward to press against her back, he moved his hands on either side of her own to support his weight. He caged in her shoulders with his upper arms and rested his chin over her right shoulder, turning his head ever so slightly to let his lips brush her ear. “Sweetheart, you’re so perfect. Such a perfect pussy. I swear you were made just for me. Say you’re mine, Rey, please, I need to hear it.” 

“I’m yours, Ben, all yours,” Rey gasped. 

“Mine,” he growled possessively, pulling himself back into a standing position. His left hand reached around to cradle one of her tits, squeezing the small mound firmly as he ran his thumb back and forth across her nipple. Steadying himself with his right hand on her hip, he adjusted his legs to center his balance and then slid his fingers across her pelvis until they found her clit. 

Rey was chanting his name in time with his thrusts. His fingers thrumming against sensitive flesh in a complementary rhythm. He could feel her legs beginning to tremble beneath him as her cries became more erratic. The high pitched wail echoed off the tiled walls as she came undone. 

Ben continued to move within her, chasing his elusive climax. He could feel her gently rocking her hips against his pelvis, making small noises at each thrust. 

“Ben.” She stopped moving suddenly. “I’m so sorry, it’s just too sensitive and I’m sore.” 

He pulled out immediately, turning her to face him and wrapping her protectively in his arms. “Shhh, it’s alright, you have nothing to be sorry about. I was hurting you, I am the one who needs to apologize, I shouldn’t have been so rough,” Ben murmured regretfully, kissing her forehead. 

“I loved that you were rough.” Rey smiled lazily at him. He watched as she lowered herself onto the bench behind her, grabbing his hips and pulling his still erect cock towards her. Her head bent forward just enough to take the entire head of his penis into her warm mouth. 

Opening his mouth to protest, she shook her head and pulled even more of his length into her mouth. He watched as she grasped the base with one hand, still bracing herself against his hip with the other. Her mouth doing most of the work as she ran her tongue around the head, painting long stripes down every side of his shaft as she traced the thick veins there. 

He placed a hand behind her head, careful not to force her movement too much. “Sweetheart, you’re so good,” Ben encouraged her. 

Rey hummed in response, the vibrations from her mouth surrounding his dick. At his resulting groan, she continued to hum, sliding her lips up and down with increasing suction. She released him with a wet pop, pausing to grin up at him before sticking her tongue out and running it over the slit that sat atop the mushroom-shaped head. The hand on the base of his cock was now searching further back.

Ben’s legs nearly buckled when she engulfed his cock again, enthusiastically sucking him off as she fondled his balls. He felt the pressure growing in the base of his spine, his dick heavy and pulsing as his release built. 

“Rey, baby, I’m going to come.” 

He flooded her waiting mouth as she swallowed eagerly, teasing his length with her tongue until he had begun to soften. Ben lowered to the ground, sitting on the floor of the shower and leaned his head against her thighs. 

“So much for taking care of being sticky,” she said after a moment, running her fingers through his hair. 

Ben laughed and pulled himself into a standing position, bringing her with him. “We better fix that then.” 

“I’m glad it was you,” she whispered as they lay in his bed after their shower.

He smiled and kissed her on the top of her head. “Me too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is when we start getting into more serious stuff and backstory and a smidge of angst, just remember the HEA guaranteed tag whenever things get a little bit bumpy - and the fact that the author (me, obviously) can't drag out angst to save her life! 
> 
> Thanks again for the support! Your comments and kudos make me smile.


	11. Drama and Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben receives unexpected news the following day that brings up old emotions. Rey looks for distractions and confides in friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting into more backstory now! 
> 
> Also, there's a situation described in this chapter (and it will be referenced in future chapters) that I wrote after doing a little bit of research on plagiarism and shady contracts in regards to publishing companies. I took real-life examples and made up my own scenario based on them, so I apologize for any inaccurate details. I tried to keep it fairly realistic :)

Rey stared at Ben’s empty office across the hall. 

He'd received an email when they’d arrived that morning and had left right away for an emergency meeting with the executive team. She wasn’t privy to what had gone down, but Ben had returned looking upset. He told her that he was taking the rest of the day off and that he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet, but promised to text later. 

Rey spent the morning refreshing her email while she tried not to worry about Ben. It had been difficult, especially when she couldn’t keep her thoughts from replaying the previous night they’d spent together. She resorted to organizing the top of her desk as a distraction, but there were only so many different ways that she could configure a computer, a succulent, and two framed pictures. 

Eventually, one of the other editors on the floor had come by and enlisted Rey to proofread a chapter. Gene Ackbar was an older gentleman who had been at Resistance from the beginning. He had been the editor in chief for many years, recently stepping back into a lesser role as he neared retirement. 

Mr. Ackbar didn’t trust sending files through computers and regularly complained about the impersonality of communicating through email. Whenever he had a task for Rey he’d shuffle over from his own office with a printed copy in hand. His visits usually involved him waxing poetic about the good old days, and making sure Rey remembered how to edit with a pen instead of, as he described it, _typing silly notes into margins and trusting that a computer will save it properly._

Proofreading had taken up the rest of her morning and kept her mind occupied, that she didn’t realize how much time had passed until she was disrupted by the buzz of her phone.  ****

**  
**

**Jannah: Did I see you and Ben Solo show up at work together this morning?**

She chuckled in amusement as she picked up her phone and sent a reply. 

_Rey: That may have happened._

**Jannah: I’m going to need more details, Jackson. Are you going to lunch soon?** ****

_Rey: Shit! I just noticed the time, I’ve been proofreading for Mr. Ackbar. I can meet you downstairs in twenty._

**Jannah: Great. Does Purple Porg sound okay?** ****

_Rey: It sounds great. See you soon._

Her response came in the form of a thumbs-up emoji, and Rey put her phone back in her pocket. 

“Alright, spill, I’m going to need a minute by minute recap of how this all went down.” Jannah sat across from her in the small booth, an eager expression on her face. 

“It’s not some scandalous story, Jan,” Rey laughed in response. “You already knew I worked with him and that we were kind of friendly.”

Jannah nodded, sipping her water. “Right, right. That still doesn’t tell me how you two went from _kind of friendly_ to _showing up at work together looking all cozy._ ”

Rey choked briefly on the french fry that she’d put in her mouth. Swallowing, and taking a drink, she cleared her throat. She realized that the last time she’d had a chance to catch up with Jannah beyond some casual texting was just a few days before Ben had taken her to TaunTaun for a thank-you lunch.

“He invited me to lunch a few weeks ago for helping him edit a chapter he’d been struggling with,” she began to explain. “I found out that he’d never eaten at a food truck before because he was being a total snob about them, and converted him the following week with a chicken burrito from AT ATs.” 

“God, if the man couldn’t be swayed by an AT ATs burrito, then he’s hopeless,” Jannah agreed. “Okay so two lunch dates, then what?” 

“Well obviously I had to keep supervising his food truck education, so we started going to lunch a couple of times a week,” Rey continued, sneaking bites of her burger as she talked. “Then I may have drunk texted him two weeks ago and implied that I wanted a lot more than just lunch dates.” 

Jannah snorted. “Smooth. How did that go over?”

“We talked the next morning when I finally got up the nerve to face him, and he admitted he felt the same way. Things have been moving pretty quickly ever since. Our third official date was last night.” Rey blushed. 

“I’m so happy for you,” Jannah replied before lowering her voice. “Have you guys…”

“Last night,” Rey confessed with a sly grin. “Twice.”

“You lucky lucky woman, I bet he’s incredible in bed. The quiet ones always are.” Jannah grinned.

Rey shrugged. “I don’t have anyone to compare him to, but it was mind-blowing all the same,” she admitted. 

Realization dawned on Jannah’s face and she raised her glass of water. “Cheers!” she toasted, clinking her drink against Rey’s. 

****

Ben’s day had been one headache after another since arriving at work to find an email from the Vice President and Editorial Director requesting that he come to the executive conference room immediately. He’d left a confused Rey in his wake as he rushed off to the elevators without a word. 

Several execs, including his mother, were sitting around the large table when he arrived.

“We have a big problem,” Leia greeted him, her face schooled into the neutral expression she wore when dealing with stressful situations. 

“A certified letter arrived after hours last night from a publishing house in Uzbekistan,” one exec explained. “It turns out that Greedo’s last two books, and I am assuming the one you are currently helping him edit, were plagiarized from one of their authors.” 

“He’s been translating them to English, making a few small tweaks, and passing them off as his own,” another exec added. “The publishing company who represents the author is quite small, and the books in question were published nearly twenty years ago. They weren't particularly well-circulated, so he’s been able to fly under the radar for a while.”

Ben sat into an empty chair with a frown, putting his head in his hands, and taking a deep breath. “That would explain why his writing has always had a weird flow and pacing.”

“I’ve been in touch with a few contacts to find a translator so we can set up a call to discuss the situation,” Leia explained. “We’ve already contacted Greedo and terminated his contract, as well as starting the process of pulling all of his published works still being sold online and in stores. It’s going to be a huge mess.” 

“What do you need me to do?” Ben asked quietly. 

“Nothing at the moment,” his mother replied. “We felt you should hear it from us before the news got out around the office.” 

He nodded in understanding, staring down at the table. “Thank you.”

Leia looked at him knowingly for a moment. “Excuse me for a moment, Ben, can you join me in my office?” she stood up and walked around the table, motioning for him to follow. 

Once they were behind her closed office door, she pulled him into a hug. 

“No one believes that you had anything to do with this,” she assured him. 

Ben swallowed, feeling a slight hint of relief from the feelings of guilt and shame.

First Order had been notorious for having no morals against plagiarism. They’d frequently buy out small foreign publishing companies, poaching any decent stories to give to their writers who would translate and publish them as their own. The company had been brilliant at crafting deceptive, yet airtight contracts to obtain the rights to all works, published or still in progress, leaving the original authors without any legal recourse. 

Ben had been aware of these practices, turning a blind eye to them for years while he worked under Snoke. 

“I should have done more checking and made sure,” Ben admitted. “There was always something off about Greedo, I don’t know how it wasn’t more obvious.”

“You are not to blame here, Ben,” Leia reminded him sternly. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off.”

He started to protest, but his mother’s intimidating glare stopped him. He sighed, realizing that she was right. There was a mess of buried emotions brimming under the surface. While he’d come a long way with managing them since he’d left First Order, there were still moments where he needed to step away and allow himself time to process.

“Alright,” he agreed reluctantly. 

********

Rey found herself at Maz’s Cafe after work. 

When Ben hadn’t texted by the end of the day, she wasn’t in the mood to go home and answer twenty questions from her roommates. Escaping to the familiar comforts of the coffee shop had been an easy decision. 

She had studied there nearly every night while she’d been a student at NYU. Maz had always closed her cafe early compared to the other coffee shops near campus. As a result, the late afternoon and evenings were slow, giving Rey a quiet space to work.

“Here, my dear.” Rey looked up to see Maz setting a plate and cup beside her. She recognized the slightly orange-hued tint of the steaming beverage and the white drizzle topped muffin right away. 

“But you don’t start Pumpkin Spice until next week!” Rey gasped as she eyed the treats with excitement. 

“I was testing a few things earlier and tweaked the muffin recipe. There’s also a new ingredient in the Pumpkin Spice Macchiato.” Maz smiled at her conspiratorially. “I’m using you as my taste tester, so let me know how they are.” 

Rey eagerly took a bite of the muffin, moaning as the sweet icing melted into the spiced crumble topping and combined perfectly with the pumpkin flavor. It tasted as she remembered from before, with just a bit more intensity to the spice in the crumble. “It’s really good, that extra flavor in the topping is perfect.” 

“Good, I was hoping so. I’ve always thought the old recipe needed a little something extra,” Maz agreed. “Now try the drink.” 

Rey lifted the mug to her lips, sipping slowly. “Did you change the mocha syrup somehow?” 

“I swapped the regular mocha base for a white mocha base. I think it compliments nicely.”

“It does, you should use this version this year,” Rey insisted. 

“I believe I will,” the older woman winked. “I’ll let you get back to your writing, as always, you’re welcome to stay as late as you need.” 

“Thanks, Maz.” 

Rey wasn’t a fan of writing on her phone, but it was all she had at the moment and she wanted to finish her fourth chapter. She’d been back and forth with Kylo, but after two rounds of edits, it still lacked something, even with the scene at the end that she’d written from Ryder’s perspective. 

Reading through from the top, she found a break in the narrative and began to type. What started as a small filler scene turned into several paragraphs of banter between Violet and Jacob Trooper, a character she’d introduced in the first chapter as one of Violet’s closest friends, while they worked together to fix a problem on a spacecraft. 

With the updated draft sent off to Kylo, Rey opened a new document and began working out details for Chapter five. It would be one of the longest chapters of her story yet with a dramatic reveal where Violet would find out that Ryder Knight’s true identity was Noah Alder Hanson, the estranged son of her Revolution leader and mentor, General Caroline Alder. 

She’d nearly finished her expanded outline for the fifth chapter when Kylo had messaged her back. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter Four Was Fine** ****

Kira,

You didn’t need the extra scene. It doesn’t contribute to the plot, and the dialogue feels forced and awkward.

Furthermore, you’ve been treading dangerously close to pushing Violet into Mary Sue territory. We don’t need to read that every little thing she does is a nomination into sainthood. 

If you feel like adding more length, I’m sure the scene at the end with Ryder could use a bit more detail. Did you forget what site you were writing for? 

Kylo 

Rey was fuming. Again. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 4 Is Better MY Way** ****

Kylo,

You’re awfully full of yourself for someone who works as an “editor” on a smutty fiction website.

The scene stays. I didn’t ask if you liked it, I submitted it for edits. Do your job and don’t take out the fact that you couldn’t get hired at an actual publishing firm on me. 

Kira 

Letting out a frustrated groan into the empty space, Rey brushed aside the twinge of guilt she felt over her reply and decided to call it a night. Maz had closed the cafe an hour earlier, but it was still plenty busy around the area for her to walk safely to the nearest Subway station. Rey gathered up her things and quietly left out the front door.

****

**Aunt Ami: I heard about the Greedo situation. If you need to talk about it - I’m here for you.** ****

Ben’s lip quirked up as he read the message on his phone later that evening while he was working on editing. He was certain he knew who his Godmother’s source of information was and he’d deal with his mother later. 

_Ben: I’m alright. I feel like I should have noticed earlier._

**Aunt Ami: You know that this isn’t your fault, Ben.**

**Aunt Ami: Also, I see you’re working on the site right now. How are things going with Kira?** ****

He let out a sigh.

_Ben: Things are going…she’s still difficult to work with most of the time, but I’ll admit she’s making improvements._

**Aunt Ami: Excellent! I think she has a lot to offer.** ****

_Ben: We’ll see._

**Aunt Ami: And what’s this about you dating one of the interns? How come I have to find everything out from your mother?** ****

_Ben: Because my mother has no boundaries, it’s why she doesn’t know I edit for your site, remember?_

When he’d first agreed to help Amilyn out with her site after leaving First Order his biggest stipulation was that it remained between the two of them. She had agreed to that, as well as his request to work with stories that were dark and gritty, or had action-based plot lines. He edited Historical War Novels and Crime Thrillers at Resistance and worked with many big-name, old school writers who appreciated the more traditional, if sometimes outdated, editing methods that he’d learned while working under Snoke.

In general, he used a toned-down editing style with his Passion and Prose authors. It had been his frustrating first impression of Kira that had led him to use an exaggerated version of his traditional editing methods on her story. He’d kept it up after that just to get a rise out of her. 

**  
**

**Aunt Ami: Does your new girlfriend know?** ****

_Ben: No. I wasn’t planning on telling her either. Maybe someday._

**Aunt Ami: It’s your call, you know your secret is safe with me.** ****

_Ben: Thanks._

**Aunt Ami: You’re Welcome, Ben.** ****

**Aunt Ami: And if you need to talk about the stuff that’s going on now, text or call anytime.** ****

_Ben: I will._

**Aunt Ami: You better. Also, send me your schedule for the next couple of weeks and we’ll plan to meet for lunch. No excuses!**

Editing for Passion and Prose had become the one thing in his life he could do without feeling judged by the people who knew him. He’d held tightly onto his secret as a result, finding comfort in knowing that it wouldn’t be another item on the list of ways he was a disappointment.

He hoped that he could open up to Rey about everything eventually, but one step at a time and his history at First Order would have to come first - preferably before she heard gossip at the office.

Ben refreshed his inbox and opened an unread message from Kira, bursting into laughter at her response to his criticism. His amusement at her erroneous insult was exactly what he needed to snap out of his funk. If she wasn’t so difficult, Ben would’ve sent Kira a thank you note.

He settled for texting the woman he _did_ care about instead. 

_Ben: Hi. I’m sorry about earlier, and about going radio silent today. I needed some time to think._

She responded a few minutes later. 

**Rey: It’s okay, I understand. I hope you know that you can always talk to me if you need to. Are you doing better now?** ****

_Ben: I am. Thank you. And I do want to talk to you. I’d rather you hear everything from me before you hear rumors around the office. Unless you already have?_ ****

**Rey: Nothing was said today, but I wouldn’t believe anything I didn’t hear from you. I trust you, Ben.** ****

_Ben: That means so much to me, Rey. Truly. Can you meet me for coffee at Maz’s before work?_

**Rey: I would love to. What time?** ****

_Ben: Is 6:30 too early?_

**Rey: Not at all. I’ll be there.** ****

_Ben: Sounds good, sweetheart. I need to get some sleep, but I’ll see you in the morning. I miss you._

**Rey: I miss you too. See you soon.**

****

“Finally!” Kaydel yelled as she came through the door that evening. 

Rey glanced over to see that all three of her roommates were still awake and sitting in the living room.

“Do you really hate us so much that you decide to pick today of all days to suddenly feel the need to do your writing at Maz’s, so you can ignore us and not give immediate details from last night? Because that’s completely the vibe you are sending right now.” Jess barely stopped to breathe during her scolding lecture.

“It has been a day,” Rey sighed, putting her bags down and taking her coat off, hanging it on the hook by the front door. 

“Oh no, did something happen last night? I told you guys she’s been avoiding us because something went wrong.” Kaydel got up and embraced Rey in a comforting hug. 

“Last night was perfect,” Rey assured them as she took her seat on the couch. “Something happened at work this morning that involved Ben. I don’t know any details yet, but he was called into a meeting right after we’d arrived and then came back thirty minutes later looking like he’d seen a ghost and told me he was leaving for the rest of the day. I didn’t hear from him at all until ten minutes ago when I got off the train.”

“You don’t think he’s in trouble for getting involved with you, do you?” Rose asked with a concerned expression.

“Not at all, Leia’s fully in support and there are no rules against it. We even made sure the appropriate paperwork was filed with HR last week,” Rey explained. “It has to do with his job. I’m meeting him early tomorrow for coffee, he said he wants to explain everything to me before the office rumors start flying.” 

“I’m sorry Rey, that had to suck after last night especially,” Rose sympathized. 

“We can talk about the office drama later,” Kaydel interjected impatiently. “How was it?” 

“Don’t spare a single detail,” Jess added with a devious smirk. 

“I’ll be sparing a lot of details, thank you,” Rey shot her a look. 

Jess huffed. “Fine, some details then.”

“It was amazing.” Rey gushed. “The first time was really slow and sweet and he was so gentle. It hurt, but not like I was expecting. I fell asleep on him for an hour after.” 

“That sounds beautiful,” Rose replied. 

“First time? As in you did it more than once?” Kaydel questioned. 

Rey laughed before admitting slyly, “there may have been a second time in his shower after I woke up.” 

“Alright!” Jess cheered. “I’m so glad it was amazing for you. I wasn’t looking forward, too much, to having to kick that man’s ass if he ruined things.”

Rose made a noise of disbelief. “Lies! You’d kick his ass and love it.” 

“I would.” Jess shrugged. “Sorry Rey.”

Rey rolled her eyes and stood up, yawning as she stretched her arms over her head. “While you’re busy thinking about my boyfriend’s ass, I need to get ready for bed.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...a little more about Ben to consider here...
> 
> Yes, Purple Porg is a shameless knock off of Red Robin. 
> 
> And Yes, Amilyn knows things - but time will tell what that means. 
> 
> Let me know if you catch on to how I'm naming characters for Rey's story ;-) 
> 
> I know this was a slightly more serious chapter, and there will be more serious moments as we move forward with the plot - but overall I'll keep things fairly fluffy and smutty. Chapter 12 will be up early next week and will have a lot of Ben and Rey moments, more backstory, and more smut! 
> 
> (self promo insert: if you’re craving more Reylo smut, I posted a sexy one shot recently that you should go check out 😏) 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. I love hearing what you think and seeing how much people are enjoying the story!


	12. Better Than Expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey share a discussion, three meals, and the night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, as always, for the support and likes and shares and comments! They really inspire me to keep writing and I love hearing what you think!

“Back already?” Maz called across the coffee shop as Rey came through the front door the following morning. “I didn’t realize you missed me so much.” 

Rey laughed at her friendly teasing and made her way to the counter. The older woman was adding more pastries to the bakery display, while Emmie and another barista worked the cash register and made drinks for the customers in line. 

“I’m meeting Ben for coffee,” Rey explained. 

“How are things with that boy?” Maz asked, lining up a row of freshly baked chocolate croissants on a tray. 

“Good, I think. Something came up at work yesterday that involved him and he left early. He wanted to talk to me in person about it this morning before I got to the office.” 

Maz stood up from behind the counter and gave her a comforting look. “I’m sure whatever happened has a reasonable explanation behind it,” she assured her.

“I know. I’m not sure what is going on, but I trust Ben,” Rey confessed. 

“Of course you do,” Maz replied with a dismissive wave of her wrinkled hand. “Go sit at your table, I’ll send him over when I see him arrive.” 

Rey nodded and walked to her usual spot, putting her purse on the ground, and taking a seat on the wooden chair. A few other customers sat scattered around the cafe drinking coffee and reading the paper; one man sat hunched over a laptop, typing furiously, stopping on occasion to grab a piece of the blueberry muffin on the plate next to him. It reminded her of the way she wrote when she was in her zone and she smiled. 

“I see Maz had you sit at my table,” Ben raised an eyebrow as he came around the corner.

“YOUR table? This is MY table!” Rey laughed.

He lowered himself into the chair across from her and shook his head. “Nope, pretty sure its mine. Little Ben drank endless mugs of hot chocolate and ate way too many chocolate chip cookies in this spot.” 

“Well, college student Rey studied for about a million hours in this spot.” 

They both laughed. 

“What are the odds?” Ben shook his head in disbelief. 

“Small world, again,” Rey added. “How are you doing today?” 

Ben sighed and rolled his shoulders back, slightly lifting his chin towards the ceiling in a subtle stretch. “I’m better. Having time yesterday to think helped.” 

“Well, if you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here to listen,” she replied.

He gave her an appreciative look and leaned over the table to plant a soft kiss on her lips. 

“No PDA!” A stern voice caused them both to jump apart. Maz appeared out of nowhere with a tray of pastries and two steaming mugs of coffee. “Occupy your mouths with these, not with each other, this is a family establishment,” she scolded with a twinkle in her eye.

“Sorry Maz,” Ben apologized patting the woman on the hand. 

“Thanks for the breakfast!” Rey smiled. 

Maz shook her head with a grunt and disappeared back into the kitchen. 

They ate in silence. Rey could tell that Ben was nervous about whatever he wanted to tell her. Occasionally, he would look like he was about to start talking, hesitate, then continue to eat quietly. 

“How much do you know about my history with First Order?” Ben finally asked, breaking the tense atmosphere around them. 

“Bits and pieces,” Rey admitted. “I try not to listen to the office rumors if that’s what you’re asking.” 

“Okay. Good.” He took a deep breath. “It’s not all lies, but a lot of it is, I just didn’t know how much you’d heard.” 

“I did know about the scandal at First Order,” she added after a moment. “I was in my first year at NYU when everything went down and I followed the news, my intro to literature professor covered it briefly in a class as well.” 

“I’m not surprised, it was a pretty big story that year.” Ben sighed. 

“How does what happened yesterday relate to First Order? You’re not in trouble again are you?” Rey questioned. 

“No, I’m not,” he confirmed. “However, it’s similar enough to what First Order would do, and people may try to put some of the blame on me. That’s why I wanted you to hear everything from me first, starting with my time working there.”

“Alright.” Rey nodded. 

“Mathias Snoke started recruiting me while I was still a graduate student. I’d been estranged from my parents for several years, and at the time it seemed like the perfect _fuck_ _you_ to go and work for my Mother’s biggest rival.” Ben paused, taking a piece of scone and popping it in his mouth before washing the bite down with a sip of coffee. “Snoke was an incredibly cunning man, he knew exactly what to say to get you to bend to his every word. That’s how he was able to draft these well written and deceptive contracts that left no loopholes to screw over smaller foreign publishing companies and their authors.”

Rey watched as he shifted in his seat, taking another break from talking. 

He continued after a moment. “I knew it was wrong, and for several years I did nothing. Plenty of people spoke up and left the company over it, but Snoke knew how to control me. I was young and power-hungry and it was easy to fall for his promises and bribes. He promoted me to Editor in Chief after my second year and fed me lies that he was training me up to ultimately lead First Order when he retired.” 

“You can't blame yourself for all of that,” Rey commented softly the next time Ben paused. 

“It gets worse,” Ben admitted. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about the timing of my resignation when everything came to light.” 

Rey’s eyes widened. “Did you provide the anonymous information?”

He nodded. “I overheard a meeting between Snoke and a couple of the higher-ups. They were discussing details about contracts and finances within the company that didn’t add up. I started digging around and uncovered years of fraud, shady business practices, breaches of contract, even offshore accounts.” He explained. “I’d been planning to leave that year anyway, I just made sure a few breadcrumbs were dropped to the right people first. Once they began to pick up on what was going on, I submitted my resignation.”

“Ben, that’s…wow. I’m so proud of you,” she replied. 

“Thank you.” He swallowed. “There are plenty of people who suspect I was behind the leak, but no one has been able to prove it. You’re the fourth person who knows the truth.”

He started to say something afterward but stopped. 

Rey leaned forward, resting her forearms against the table, observing him closely for a minute before continuing the subject. “So how does this all tie into yesterday, then?” 

Ben took a deep breath. “Resistance received a letter from a small publishing company in Uzbekistan accusing Greedo of publishing plagiarized novels written by one of their authors.” 

“Holy shit,” she swore. “At the same time, I’m not surprised.”

“That’s what I thought as well. The books in question were published over ten years ago and only released in a limited area, so it isn’t entirely surprising he was able to get away with it for so long.” Ben explained. “Anyway, he’s been fired, obviously, and now they’re trying to do damage control.” 

“What a mess,” Rey sighed. “Thank you so much for telling me, about everything, and for trusting me.” 

“Of course,” he replied. “I would’ve told you about all of this yesterday, but I needed time to deal with my emotions. It brought a lot of long-suppressed negativity to the surface and giving myself space to cope was a priority.” 

“Absolutely, and if you ever need time for yourself again, I understand.” 

Ben glanced around the cafe for a minute and lunged across the table to give her another quick kiss. 

Luckily this time, Maz wasn’t nearby to notice. 

The caught the train to work once they’d finished their coffee, crowding onto the subway car with the dozens of other business professionals making their morning commute. Rey stood beside him silently, holding his hand, as she recognized his need to have some time to clear his head before they arrived at the office. 

She didn’t let go until they were climbing the steps to the revolving front doors. 

“Lunch today?” he asked quietly as they entered the lobby of Resistance Tower. 

“I’d love that,” Rey replied. “Your turn to pick.”

“I was going to claim my turn anyway, I found out about a new food truck that opened yesterday,” Ben mentioned casually. 

“Ben Solo, are you researching food trucks now?” Rey gasped in disbelief. 

“Not exactly. This was a random find,” he admitted. “When I left work early yesterday, they were parked over on the west side of the park, it was hard to miss with the grand opening banner and balloons.” 

“Well, now I need to know all about it, what kind of food?” Rey demanded, her eyes alight with excitement. 

“I think it will be more fun to make you wait and see,” Ben grinned, enjoying the way her brows furrowed as she gave him an agitated face. “No Google searching allowed to try and figure it out either.”

“Fine,” Rey huffed, stabbing the up button as soon as they reached the hall of elevators. 

Ben chuckled in amusement, forgetting his earlier worries. The elevator to their left opened first, and they were thankfully the only two who got on. He pressed the close door button, while Rey selected the number 27, grabbing her hand again as they rode up to their floor. 

****

A company-wide email from his mother addressing the Greedo situation was waiting when Ben checked his inbox that morning. Her explanation had been informative but to the point, and careful to avoid sharing too many details that would lead to rumors that he was involved in some way. 

He pulled out his phone and typed up a quick message. 

_Ben: I read your email. Thank you._ ****

**Leia: You’re welcome, Ben. How are you doing today?**

_Ben: Better. Taking time yesterday away from the office helped._

**Leia: I’m glad.** ****

**Leia: I need to get to a meeting. Let me know if you need anything.** ****

_Ben: I will. Thanks._

**Leia: I love you, Benjamin.** ****

_Ben: Love you too, Mom._

**Leia: Oh, by the way, Maz is thrilled that she’s getting to see you more often, even if she has to lecture you about PDA in her coffee shop.** ****

_Ben: You’re going to be late for your meeting._

**Leia: It’s my company. They’ll live. No more kissing at Maz’s.**

He sighed and pushed his phone to the side before opening the next email in his inbox.

*

“Where are we going?” Rey asked as they left the office at lunchtime. 

“It's about two blocks past Columbus Circle, on the block where Jar Jar’s Pharmacy is,” Ben explained. 

They approached the white truck, still decked out with the clusters of bright balloons and a colorful banner to celebrate the grand opening. A reasonable crowd of people waited in a line that stretched along the block. He smiled, watching as Rey squinted to read the name painted on the side panel. 

“X Wings?”

“X-Wings,” Ben confirmed. “Fifteen different flavors of bone-in and boneless wings, I checked the menu online and they have some of the classics, but they also have some really interesting flavors too.” 

“This looks amazing! I’m glad you stumbled across it.” Rey grinned up at him. 

Taking their place at the end of the line, Ben pulled up the menu he’d found online and they debated on which flavors to try until it was their turn to order

“Come home with me tonight,” Ben proposed as they sat on a bench in Central Park, a basket of wings positioned between them. 

“I want to, but I don’t have anything for tomorrow,” Rey reminded him. “You know people will talk if I show up wearing the same outfit two days in a row.”

“We can go shopping,” he suggested. “I’ll buy you a new outfit. Please, Rey, I would really like to spend tonight with you.”

She looked him over for a moment before conceding. “Fine. You’re not buying me clothes though. There’s a TJ Maxx a block from the office, I’ll stop there and grab another blouse for tomorrow on our way home later. I can wear the skirt I have on again, it's black and no one will notice. ”

“Alright,” he agreed, glancing down at the basket with a frown. “You took the last chipotle lime, didn’t you?” 

“You snooze, you lose,” Rey teased, taking a bite of the wing in question. 

His cock twitched as she licked her fingers clean after finishing. “You’re a monster,” he groaned as she noticed him staring and gave him a wicked smile. 

“I know,” she shrugged and gave an exaggerated suck from the base of her index finger to the tip, removing it from her mouth with a wet pop. 

Ben leaned over and kissed her, tasting the hint of flavor on her lips. “Just wait until I get you home later.”

*

He watched in amusement as Rey entered the store after work in a flurry of determination, making a beeline for the section marked _“Women’s Tops”_ and locating the selection in her size with practiced ease. She passed over exactly three choices before grabbing the fourth, pulling the hanger from the rack. 

“This will do,” she announced as she met him back near the front of the store. 

He looked at the simple off-white sleeveless blouse with lace detail on the front and then back at her. “Did you want to try it on?” 

She shook her head and scrunched her nose. “It’ll be fine.”

Ben accompanied her to the register to pay for the shirt before they made their way back out to the sidewalk.

“That might have been the fastest shopping trip that I’ve ever witnessed,” he commented as they were walking towards his apartment. 

Rey grinned up at him. “I hate shopping,” she admitted. “I do most of it online, but if I have to go into a store I try and spend the least amount of time possible there.” 

“I’m not a fan either, but that was impressive.” 

She slid her hand into his, giving it a light squeeze as they walked along the busy street beside the lush greenery of Central Park. 

“There may have been some motivation to get back to your place as well,” Rey added. 

He picked up the pace a little bit after that. 

Ben loved how Rey made herself at home the moment she walked through his door. She hung coat her coat in the front closet and placed her shoes next to his on the built-in rack before padding across the hardwood floor to set her purse on the armchair in the living room. 

“I’m going to hang this up in your closet so it doesn’t wrinkle,” she said as she held up the plastic shopping bag. 

“Go ahead, there’s extra hangers on the right side, far end of the top rack,” he explained. 

She disappeared into his bedroom with a smile and a quick thank you. 

Several minutes later she emerged again wearing only a white undershirt. Based on the way it hung almost to her knees and draped from her small frame it was obviously one of his.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she said as she crossed the room to stand in front of him. “I should have thought about getting something casual to wear while we were at the store.”

He swallowed as he noticed the way her nipples had pebbled beneath the thin fabric. “You can always borrow anything you want.” 

Rey slid her hands over his shoulders and clasped them behind his neck as she lifted onto her toes to capture his mouth in a kiss. Ben grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close. His cock had begun to harden when she’d returned wearing his shirt, and was now straining against the front of his dress pants. A detail that did not go unnoticed by Rey as she eagerly pressed her core against him. 

Without warning, he slid his hands down her back, over the globes of her ass, and onto the backs of her thighs, lifting her with ease. Her legs immediately went around his waist and she locked her ankles behind him. 

“Fuck, Sweetheart,” he groaned as his hands shifted upwards under the fabric of the shirt, finding smooth bare skin underneath. “You’re not wearing anything underneath this, are you?” 

She shook her head as a grin spread across her face. “Not a thing.” 

He carried her to his bedroom and set her on the edge of his bed. Ben stepped back and began to undo the buttons of his dress shirt, his eyes never leaving hers as she watched intently, following his hands as they moved downwards.

“Go ahead,” he encouraged as she eyed his obvious erection. 

Rey slid the smooth leather of his belt through the buckle without hesitation before unbuttoning the top and pulling down the zipper. With a tug, she let his pants fall to his ankles and cupped her hand around his hardened length through the fabric of his boxer briefs. 

“You’re so big,” she murmured appreciatively. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how full you make me.” 

“Shit,” he breathed, his cock twitching as she continued to massage him. “Take it out, sweetheart, I need to be inside you again.”

She obeyed, sliding his briefs down as his dick sprang into view, jutting proudly from the curls at his groin. His hands found the hem of the shirt she wore and pulled it over her head before he removed his own. Ben ran his hands along her legs, gently urging them apart.

Her core was glistening with her arousal, flushed and swollen, begging to be licked. He decided that his cock could wait, wanting to feel her come by his mouth first, and knelt on the floor in front of her, lowering his head to her core. His tongue found her clit, teasing the nub with slow circles as he inserted a finger into her cunt. A second and third joined as he stretched her tight entrance, rotating his hand and curling his fingers to stroke her front wall with each passing motion.

“Ben, oh fuck, I’m going to come really soon if you keep doing that.” 

Her legs were trembling on either side of him as she continued to chant, nearly whining as she pleaded. 

“What do you need?” he asked against her center.

“Ben, Ben, _Ben_ ….shit, right there, I’m so close. Please don’t stop.” 

He obliged her request, his fingers pumping in and out of her cunt, pulling her clit into his mouth and flicking the tiny bud with his tongue. 

She came with a shout a moment later. 

Ben stood up quickly, fisting his cock as he positioned himself at her entrance.

“You’re so tight, Rey, shit.” The sensation of her pussy clenching around her dick as he slid inside was almost too much. He hovered over her frame, his arms on either side of her as he thrust into her. “Look how well you’re taking me, sweetheart. How well your tight little cunt grips my cock like you were fucking made for me.” 

She grabbed his arms tightly as he increased the pace, lowering his head to wrap his lips around one of her nipples. He sucked hard at the rosy tip, releasing it with a pop before repeating the action on the other side. The sight of both of her tits glistening as they bounced from the steady rhythm of his thrusting drove him wild. 

Rey looked at him and whispered, “I want to feel you come inside of me.”

Her plea was enough to push him over the edge. His orgasm hit as his cum spilled deep within her walls. 

“That was nice,” Rey murmured as Ben crawled beside her and pulled her into his arms. 

He hummed in agreement and kissed the top of her head. “Are you sore? I didn’t think to ask after the other night.” 

“No, just tired,” she said with a yawn. “We met at Maz’s really early, remember?” 

“I remember,” he chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Why don’t you relax and I’ll go make us something for dinner. I have penne with vodka sauce if that’s alright?”

“Mmm, more than alright. That sounds delicious.” She shifted and propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. “I’m going to use the bathroom and shower real quick.” 

Ben pushed himself into a sitting position and hopped off the bed. He grabbed his boxer briefs and undershirt from the floor and slid them on before tossing Rey the shirt she had borrowed. She caught it with a smile and disappeared into the bathroom. 

*

“Today was better than expected,” he admitted as they lay in bed together after they’d finished dinner later that evening. 

“It was,” Rey agreed. “Your mom’s email this morning was nice. I think it will help keep the rumors down.” 

Ben laughed. “I forgot to tell you. I texted her after I read it this morning and Maz must have called her after we left and ratted us out for kissing at the cafe. I got lectured, again, for PDA.”

He could feel her shaking with laughter against his chest. “I’d be annoyed if it wasn’t so funny,” she admitted. “Maz has been overprotective of me since she hired me.”

“She’s like that with me too. Combined with my Mother’s meddling, it’s a recipe for never having any privacy.” 

“They seem happy for us though,” Rey admitted with a yawn. 

Ben felt her burrow closer to him, tucking her head under his chin. “They do,” he answered with a sigh. 

“Hey, Ben?” she asked after a moment.

“Yes, sweetheart?” 

“I’m happy for us too.” 

He tightened his arms around her and placed a kiss on her forehead, holding her against his chest as she fell asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought these two deserved a sweet day (and night) together. The next chapter will have more Kira & Kylo banter as they work on another smutty chapter, and a Finn and Poe appearance too!
> 
> There's a final chapter count now! It's a rough estimate based on how I think I will end up combining the rest of the written chapters (accounting for the last few that are not yet written but are fully outlined). We're just about to the halfway point though!


	13. Harlequin and the Jokers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Rose meet up with Poe and Finn for drinks. Later, Rose helps Rey with a scene for her story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a really, horribly, over the top bodice ripper novel style scene. It's the large italicized section near the end, you can't miss it. More explanation in the endnotes, there's a story behind it ;-)
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading and all of your support and shares!

Rey knocked softly on the glass wall and popped her head into Ben’s office. He sat hunched over his computer with a perplexed expression on his face, the fingers of his left hand impatiently drumming on the desk as he clicked at his mouse with his right. 

“I’m heading out,” she explained once he stopped to look up at her. “Are you staying very late?” 

Ben shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, letting out a deep breath. “I still have a lot of work to do, but I’m going to finish up at home instead.” 

After Greedo’s contract had been terminated, the company had decided to push forward another author’s next release. Caluan Ematt was a well-known writer of thriller novels and his next book was scheduled to be published the following spring. Since the book was completely written and partially edited, they were hoping to speed the process along to have it hit shelves just after the New Year. 

“I’m sorry. Spending extra hours editing outside of work is probably the last thing you wanted to do, especially on a weekend,” she replied with a frown.

He let out a soft snort and mumbled in response, “I’m used to it.”

“You’re still welcome to join us tonight if you finish early. You kind of know Poe from the office, but you’ve only met Rose once and I still need to introduce you to Finn,” Rey offered. 

Jess and Kaydel had a work function that evening, so instead of the usual Friday night bar hopping and Karaoke, Rey and Rose had invited Finn and Poe to come and have drinks with them at The Prime instead.

“Another time, I promise. I’m hoping to get a lot done tonight. I figure if I put in a couple of weeks of extra work I can get through most of this before the end of the month,” he explained. 

Rey crossed the room and walked around the desk. Ben grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his lap, kissing her softly. 

“Text me later and let me know how things are going, okay?” She requested. 

He gave her another kiss. “Of course.” 

“And we’re still on for tomorrow evening? I work at Maz’s until close, so I’ll probably get to your place around seven or so.” 

“Sounds good, sweetheart,” he replied. “I was thinking I’d take you out for dinner, so pack something nice to wear.”

Rey glared at him. “Not too fancy,” she warned. 

He chuckled. “Not _too_ fancy, but not the Purple Porg either.” 

“They have good food there!” 

“I didn’t say they didn’t, but I want to treat my girlfriend to something a bit nicer. Is that okay?” 

“I suppose,” she groused. “You spoil me.” 

“You like it,” he whispered, pinching her ass lightly and giving her another kiss. “Go home and have a fun night with your friends, I have work to do.”

The Friday commute was brutal. She’d left the office later than normal and was caught in the height of the evening rush. The trains had been packed from the first one she hopped on near her office, to the final transfer before she reached her neighborhood in Brooklyn. It was nearing six-thirty when she arrived home, just as the sun was getting ready to set. 

“Welcome home,” Rose greeted her as she walked through the front door. “How often does this happen?” 

Rose worked long hours at her job and had a longer commute, so it was almost unheard of that she’d make it back to the apartment before Rey.

“Not very often,” Rey admitted. “I got caught up talking with Ben before I left and hit the rush. Remind me not to do that again.” 

“Rey Jackson, don’t get distracted kissing boys or you’ll have to deal with the unbearably crowded trains.” 

She set her work bag down and hung up her coat. “We were only kissing for like, five seconds. _Maybe_ ten.” 

“Those ten seconds could have made all the difference, you never know. What time are we meeting the boys?” 

“Around eight-thirty. They’re supposed to text when they’re on the way,” Rey answered. “I need to finish working on chapter five before we head out, I’m supposed to have an updated draft to Kylo before midnight.” 

Rey retrieved her laptop and returned to the living room to curl up in her favorite chair. She’d been working on the scene where Ryder and Violet met on a deeply wooded planet and had engaged in an epic laser sword battle that resulted in them having sex on the forest floor. Kylo had criticized her first two drafts over the length of the scene and lack of details. 

She’d emailed her third draft the night before after adding several paragraphs, drawing from some of her own experience with Ben to add more action and emotion. Rey hoped that it had been enough.

His latest response didn’t agree. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter Five, Draft Three** ****

Kira,

Your latest addition is far too soft to match the intense mood of the scene. It reads as a confusing mix between the tension reliving hate sex you are intending to portray, and a light and romantic encounter that doesn’t fit the portrayal of the characters thus far. 

I’ve noted the areas on the draft that should be fixed or replaced. Your first draft of the scene was on the right track, it only needed more length. Expand on that and leave the fluffy romantic notions out, whether inspired from other stories or movies, or real life. 

The average sex scene on the site runs at least double the current length of what you have written. Given that you’re not featuring one until the end of the fifth chapter, I would recommend going for even longer. I suggest that you add in more physical descriptions, more of Violet’s inner thoughts, and most importantly, more of their actions. 

It may surprise you that I have a life outside of editing for this site and would prefer to review your next draft during the free time I have tomorrow morning. I expect an improved and updated chapter by midnight tonight.

Kylo 

Rey sighed and typed out a reply. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter Five, Draft Three** ****

Kylo,

I disagree. I think that I’ve made it abundantly clear that there is more to Ryder and Violet’s relationship than being enemies. An attraction has obviously been building up throughout the story so far. It does not seem out of character for them to start intense and passionate and fade into something a bit softer. 

I’ll work on the length, but the overall tone that I’ve set will stay. 

Like you, I also have a life beyond this site and have plans this evening. I’ll attempt to submit an update before midnight, but if not, it will be in your inbox by the early morning. 

Kira 

Glancing over the draft, she read where Kylo had left notes about her writing being too soft. 

She let out a string of curse words. 

He had been right. 

It was too much of a contrast from the intensity that she’d first written in her first two drafts. Rey’s only experience so far had been her few encounters with Ben, and she could see where that had influenced the moments where he’d been criticizing. 

She highlighted and deleted several sentences and started to write again, using her frustration with Kylo to fuel the mood behind her scene. It wasn’t the length he recommended, but it was her longest draft yet and she felt the tone was more consistent.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter Five, Draft Four** ****

Kylo,

After a second look, I reluctantly admit that you were right. 

While I stand by my earlier response in regards to Ryder and Violet’s relationship, I did replace some of the softer scenes and expanded on the details as you suggested. 

Kira 

“Finn just texted and said they’d be there in about twenty-five minutes. Are you going to change?” Rose asked as she walked into the living room. 

Rey closed her laptop and jumped out of the chair. “Shit! Thank you, I lost track of time.” 

She ran into their bedroom and stripped out of her blouse and skirt. Rummaging through her dresser drawers for a casual outfit, she settled on a pair of jeans with a tank top under an open cardigan sweater. Taking her hair down, she brushed it out and gathered the top half into a ponytail, leaving the rest to fall around her shoulders. 

Rose was standing by the front door with her coat on when she walked back into the living room. 

“Ready?”

Rey grabbed her purse. “Let’s go.” 

The Prime wasn't a popular Friday evening spot compared to the numerous trendy bars and pubs around the area, but it had a small and steady local crowd. Rey recognized several familiar faces as she and Rose headed towards their usual spot near the back of the establishment.

“You really need to move by a better bar,” Poe announced when he arrived with Finn a short time later. “This place is so…plain.” 

Rey stood up and greeted him with a hug. “Everything is too plain for you, Poe.” 

“I can confirm. Last week I had to talk him out of a new rug that was _horribly_ tacky and garish,” Finn added as he kissed her on the cheek. 

“It was not,” Poe pouted. 

Finn fixed him with a look. “Poe, the pattern looked like children’s artwork on LSD and I’m pretty sure every color used had been rejected by Crayola. It was ugly.” 

Rey and Rose both laughed. 

“Enough about Rugs,” Rose said as the two guys took a seat across the booth. “How was your week?” 

“Work was fairly busy,” Finn replied. “Our new app releases in a couple of weeks.” 

“The puzzle game?” Rose asked. 

Finn nodded. “That’s the one. I have the beta on my phone, it’s addicting.”

“Don’t tell me about it, I don’t need another distraction,” Rey sighed. “How are things up in promotions, Poe?”

“They’re going well,” he answered . “We’re working towards Zorii Bliss’ next release and we’ve started to pin down dates and locations for her nationwide book signing tour later this year.”

“I’d love to go along on a book tour,” Rey sighed. “You’re probably taking your promotions team intern though.” 

“Yep. Tallie is coming, and Zorri’s publicist as well.” He confirmed. “You’re going to write your own bestseller someday and have your own tour, don’t worry.” 

“I hope,” she said with a grin. 

They caught up over drinks and appetizers. Rey hadn’t seen Finn since before she and Ben were officially dating, and while she’d texted him about it, it didn’t stop either him or Poe from wanting more details. Save for the more intimate ones. 

“Did we tell you that we picked a date for our annual Halloween extravaganza?” Poe asked after returning with another round of drinks. 

“Isn’t Halloween like a month and a half away?” Rose asked as she took the gin and tonic from him and set it on the table. 

“Over a month and a half,” Rey confirmed.

Poe let out a gasp of irritation. “Halloween is on a Thursday, so we’re having the party the Saturday before, which is only a month and thirteen days away.” 

“I stand corrected,” Rose giggled. “I also love how you call it an annual thing when you’ve only had one so far.” 

“Hey now, Rosie, this year will be our second,” Finn argued. 

“Yep! Two in a row, it’s an annual tradition now!” Poe agreed. “You all better be there, and bring your guys.” 

Rey took a sip of her drink. “I’ll try and get Ben to come, but I can’t guarantee he’ll wear a costume. It doesn’t seem like his thing.” 

“If you can convince Ben Solo to wear a costume to my party, Rey, I will buy all of your drinks for two months' worth of Fridays, not just at the SoundMound.” Poe proposed. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” she laughed. 

The guys had insisted on walking them back to their apartment when they decided to call it a night after their third round of drinks. They’d parted ways when Rey and Rose had walked into the building right as Poe and Finn’s Uber driver had arrived to take them back to their SoHo loft. 

Rey headed for her spot in the living room and flipped open her laptop. 

“You’re not going to do more writing are you?” Rose asked. 

“No, I just wanted to double-check something I thought of earlier.” Rey went to close out the browser window that was still on the screen when she noticed the bolded message at the top of her Passion and Prose inbox. 

Kylo had written back. 

“Now what,” she groaned.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter Five, Draft Four** ****

Kira,

I’ll try my best not to be too smug that you admitted that I was right for once. 

Your latest version of the scene is an improvement. I still think that there’s too much softness, but at least you’ve removed a fair amount.

It still needs to be longer and more detailed. Keep adding to it.

I expect another draft by ten tomorrow morning. 

Kylo 

“He’s impossible,” Rey grumbled.

Rose shot her a sympathetic glance. “What now?” 

“My sex scene at the end of this chapter isn’t meeting Kylo’s standards. I honestly don’t know what more I can add to it at this point.” 

“Let me read it,” Rose held out her hand and Rey gave her the laptop after she’d pulled the document to the front of the screen. 

“It’s the next several paragraphs from where the cursor is.” 

Rose handed the laptop back after she finished. “He’s being ridiculous, there’s nothing wrong with that scene and the length is fine.”

“I know,” Rey agreed, staring at the text on the screen for a moment. “He keeps demanding that I add to it. I picture him waving his fist in the air and bellowing _‘more…More!’_ like some sort of crazed supervillain.”

“He probably needs to get laid.” 

Rey snorted. “I’m tempted to rewrite the whole thing in the most ridiculous, over the top, bodice ripper romance novel style that I can manage just to piss him off.” 

“Do it. Right now.” Rose demanded with a mischievous glance. “My grandma had an entire stash of Harlequin novels. I used to sneak and read them when I was a kid all the time. You’re going to troll the hell out of this Kylo guy with turgid shafts and pearls of passion.” 

An hour and a half later, it was after midnight, and Rey and Rose were laughing hysterically as they crowded together on the couch. Rey typed frantically as Rose threw out suggestions for the most ridiculous dialogue and descriptions to add. 

“This is a masterpiece,” Rey declared as she finished the final sentence. 

Nearly three full pages of over the top erotic parody were the result of their combined efforts. 

Rose nodded and wiped her eyes. “It really is, we have to show Kaydel and Jess when they get home.”

“Especially this part of the scene, I think it’s our best work,” Rey said as she scrolled partway down the second page and motioned to the start of a paragraph with the cursor of her mouse. 

_Violet writhes in ecstasy as Ryder nips at her pleasure pillows. His dark hair cascades across her bosom as he devours the pointed tips of her chest berries. She clutches at his wide, muscular back, her nails scraping along the firm skin as he continues trailing his tongue until he reaches her sopping core._

_She’s never been so wet. The nectar flooding from her hidden chamber pools between her trembling thighs._

_“All of this for me, my flower?” He growls as he dives in with unbridled fervor. “You taste like the purest ambrosia.”_

_His tongue snakes through the dark haven at the apex of her thighs as it seeks out her pearl of pleasure, wrapping his lips firmly around the devil’s doorbell._

_“Oh, Ryder, I just love how you give my jelly bean the best mouth hugs,” she cries out in exquisite passion._

_“I burn for you,” he confesses as he pulls away. “I can’t live another moment without knowing how your love glove feels wrapped around my meat sword.”_

_“Yes, Ryder! Please! Take me. Take me now!”_

_His turgid shaft is intimidating in its length and girth, it quivers as it protrudes from his body, the dark angry tip weeps with pearlescent fluid. He takes his member in hand and glides through the glistening portal of her womanhood, fully sheathing himself within her moist depths._

_“I’m going to fill your cum dumpster up with my seed,” He pants as they engage in the age-old dance. Their bodies sliding together, the echoes of slapping skin fill the forest around them._

_“Ryder!” Violet wails as the fiery culmination of her climax erupts, sending her into orbit as she’s surrounded by the vision of billions of bright stars._

_Ryder continues to plunge into her hot pocket with his fiery brand._

_“I’m going to rocket you through the universe at least twice more before I’m finished with you,” he growls and pulls out of her swiftly. “On your hands and knees.”_

“I can’t believe we wrote that,” Rose buries her face in her hands. “You used an incognito tab on Google, right?” 

Rey laughed and nodded. “Oh god, can you imagine the targeted ads I’d be getting for months if we didn’t.” 

“It’s perfect though. Are you going to send it?” 

“Uh-huh. One second.” 

Rey opened a new document and added the actual beginning of the chapter first before inserting the parody scene that she and Rose had written. Once it was sent to Kylo, she closed the screen with a triumphant grin. “There. I can’t wait to see his response.”

“Me either.” Rose stood up and stretched. “I’m going to head to bed.”

Rey yawned in agreement and followed. 

It came as no surprise that she already had a response in her inbox when she woke up the next morning. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Calm Down Johanna Lindsey**

Kira,

Imagine my surprise when I saw your updated draft with a much longer word count, only to reach the scene at the end. 

I’m at a loss for how to respond to whatever that was. I’ve read some truly atrocious excepts of romance novels and that may just top them all. I can’t help but feel a hint of pride at the level of detail that you went into to write that. 

Take that same effort and put it towards your real scene. As amusing as reading that was, I won’t appreciate having my time wasted further. 

As I have plans for the rest of this weekend, I won’t be able to review another draft until Sunday evening at the earliest, possibly Monday. 

Please send the actual draft for your story before Sunday afternoon. 

Kylo 

“What did he say?” Rose asked eagerly as she watched Rey read the message. 

Rey showed her the screen of her phone. “He’s not as annoyed as I thought he’d be, I think we entertained him more than anything,” she frowned. 

“Maybe it broke the ice a bit and he’ll be easier to work with?” Rose suggested

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Rey laughed. “I need to go get ready for work and then add to my actual chapter, I start my shift at Maz’s in a couple of hours and I’m going to Ben’s right after.”

“Will you be back this weekend?” 

“Possibly on Sunday afternoon, but I may stay over two nights. I’ll text you if I’m not coming home tomorrow how about that?” 

Rose smiled. “Sounds good.” 

Rey grabbed a clean work outfit and headed for the bathroom. Setting the clothes down on the counter, she unlocked the screen of her phone and opened her texts. 

_Rey: Good morning! I’m excited to see you later today_

**Ben: Morning sweetheart, I’m looking forward to seeing you too. How did last night go?** ****

_Rey: It was a lot of fun, I wish you could’ve been there. I hope you weren’t up too late editing._

**Ben: Not too late, but there was a bit of a hang-up that I’ll have to deal with later this weekend. It can wait until Monday if you were planning to stay both tonight and tomorrow night.** ****

_Rey: I don’t need to stay Sunday if you need to work, or you can work while I’m there. I don’t mind!_

**Ben: I’ll save it for Monday. I don’t want you to feel like I’m ignoring you for work when you’re over here, I like spending time with you too much.** ****

_Rey: Well, if you ever need to, I understand._

_Rey: I need to finish getting ready for work. I’ll text you when I’m leaving Maz’s. Xx_

**Ben: Have a good shift, I’ll talk to you later. Xx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote the market scene for Rey's story several chapters ago, I was searching for "bad sex writing" examples and mentioned this on a Discord server (shout out to my ReylOlds!) They immediately jumped in with all sorts of hilarious terms for body parts and the act itself. I ended up going with a more clinical and emotionless style of writing but promised that I would find a way to fit their suggestions somewhere in a future chapter. With all of the shuffling around I've done to combine chapters, I decided to add a new one - and this was the result. It also gave me a fun excuse for some more Finn and Poe time and I've dropped some hints for upcoming chapters too. 
> 
> Since I'm unsure if it's coming across the right way or not, Ben really did have Resistance editing work to do, but also P&P editing. I didn't want it to come off like he's outright lying to Rey. The "bit of a hang-up" comment from his text was 100% about Kira though. Haha. 
> 
> We're time jumping a bit in the next chapter, finally. I've spanned less than a month in these 13 chapters, but it feels like so much longer. For those curious, chapter 1 takes place on 8/15/19, and today's chapter is 9/13/19.


	14. Looking Back, Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After several weeks of dating, Ben and Rey finally open up some more about their respective pasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter jumps forward a month from the end of the last chapter, it also contains a bit more angst (but all is resolved before the end)! More notes at the end as to not give too many spoilers beforehand.
> 
> Thanks, as always, for the amazing feedback and support! It still blows my mind that people are reading this ;-)

A single orange rose lay on the nightstand beside her when she woke up in Ben’s bed. Perplexed, she gingerly lifted the stem and brought the vibrant bloom to her nose, inhaling the floral and somewhat fruity aroma. Below the rose was a small handwritten note with a few words on it. 

**Good Morning, sweetheart.** ****

Rey smiled and hopped out of bed, making her way into the living room where he sat on the couch with his coffee and the Sunday paper.

“You’re such a romantic,” she greeted him when he looked at her.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Ben replied, motioning for her to come closer as he pulled her into his arms.

“What made you pick orange?” Rey questioned, noting that the flower was not the typical red or pink shade one often associated with romantic gestures.

“The symbolism of the color was appropriate,” he murmured, bringing his lips to hers for a quick kiss. “Enthusiasm, desire, passion. Everything you represent to me.”

She tightened her arms around him, leaning her forehead into his broad chest. “You’re too sweet.”

“It’s the least I can do for being so occupied with work lately.” 

The past month had kept Ben busy with Caluan Ematt’s book. Nearly all of his weeknights and lunch hours had been devoted to working with the older man to get the book through the final stages of editing.

In some ways, it had worked out for the best. Her story for Passion and Prose was coming along quickly with eight chapters completed, and the ninth in progress. Once she finished writing and editing chapter nine, it would mark the halfway point of her story and she’d be able to start posting to the site. 

Kylo had been less communicative after she’d sent him the parody romance novel scene. His editing notes were still condescending, but the messages he sent were to the point without their usual snarky commentary. He approved chapters with less back and forth than usual as well. 

Rey chalked it up to annoying him enough to back off and considered it a win. 

She didn’t miss their usual banter. 

Not really. 

“Did you want anything to eat?” Ben asked after a moment. 

“I don’t need to be at Maz’s until noon, and it’s been forever since I’ve had a classic diner breakfast,” Rey answered, her eyes lighting up at the idea. 

Ben considered her suggestion for a moment. “I could go for some hash browns,” he agreed. 

“That sounds amazing!” Rey agreed enthusiastically. “Come on, lets get dressed.”

****

They left his apartment shortly before ten and headed towards a little mom and pop restaurant called The Pancake Hutt. It wasn’t a place that made any sort of _Best Eats_ list, but it served good comfort food in a cozy atmosphere. Ben had eaten there many times over the years, so it was an easy choice for breakfast when Rey had mentioned craving something from a diner. 

“What are the odds of seeing you two here?!” 

Ben looked over to see his parents standing beside their table. His mother positively beaming. 

“Never show me the odds,” Han grumbled quietly behind her, repeating the phase the older man had used more times than Ben could remember in his life. 

“Some people enjoy eating breakfast.” Ben motioned to their plates. “What are you two doing here?” 

“Don’t give me attitude in front of your girlfriend, Benjamin,” Leia scolded before turning to give Rey a soft smile. “Hello, Rey, it’s so nice to see you, dear.” 

Rey smiled in response. “It’s nice to see you as well.” 

“This is my husband, Han, Ben’s father. I don’t believe you’ve had the chance to meet yet. Han, this is Rey,” Leia introduced the two. 

Ben watched as his father stepped forward, giving Rey one of his roguishly charming smiles and shaking her hand. 

“You shouldn’t be too surprised to see us here, Ben, considering this is where we took you for breakfast all the time as a little kid,” Leia reminded him.

“They have good hash browns,” Ben mumbled. 

He knew he was being a bit petulant, but he still wasn’t ready to involve either of his parents in his relationship with Rey, even if it was unavoidable at times with his mother due to work. 

His Mother grinned and clapped her hands together. “Rey, you have to join us for dinner tonight!” 

“She’s working at Maz’s until close,” Ben added in before Rey could answer. 

“That’s fine! Whenever you’re able to make it, we’ll be happy to have you!” Leia assured her. 

“I’m off before seven, but I couldn’t possibly intrude,” Rey began before being interrupted by both Ben and Leia. 

“You don’t need to -”

“You wouldn’t _possibly_ be -”

An awkward silence fell over the table as everyone stopped talking at the same time. 

“I’ll think about it,” Rey offered. Ben nodded once as his Mother sighed in resignation. 

“Alright dear,” Leia agreed. “Anyway, we should let you two finish up. Hopefully, we’ll see you both tonight!”

Ben stood to hug his mother and give his father a handshake, while Rey waved goodbye to them both. 

After they’d disappeared through the front door of the diner, he let out a breath. 

“Why are you acting so weird about dinner?” Rey asked once they were alone again. 

“I’m not sure that it’s a good idea just yet,” he started to explain, running his hand through his hair. 

She tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean? She invited me, she knows we are together. I’m failing to see why this is suddenly an issue.” 

“This has nothing to do with you. My parents are complicated.” He explained, his voice carrying an edge of frustration. “I’m not ready for you to deal with all of that.” 

Rey paused and then answered coldly. “I see. Well, I’m not sure that I can _deal_ with all of this right now either.” She motioned between the two of them. 

Ben started to talk again, but Rey didn’t wait to let him finish. Giving him a hard stare, she stood up and went to leave the restaurant.

“Rey, wait!” He called after her. 

She didn’t stop. 

He left more than double the amount of their food on the table and tried to chase after her, but she was gone before he managed to make it to the sidewalk. Letting out a frustrated groan, he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent her a text. 

_Ben: I’m sorry, that wasn't what I meant to say. I wish you would let me explain._

****

Rey was nearly through her shift at Maz’s when a familiar face came through the door. She’d read his text once she’d gotten off the train near the cafe, but had chosen to ignore him. Instead, she’d turned her phone off and placed it inside her locker, shoving aside her frustration and losing herself in the familiar rhythm of her job. 

She busied herself with the caramel latte she was currently working on as he approached the counter.

“What can I get for you?” She heard Artoo ask from the cash register. 

“Just a drip coffee, thanks,” he answered quietly. 

Rey rolled her eyes and grabbed a cup from the stack, quickly filling it with whatever blend was in the pot behind her.

“Drip coffee,” she called out half-heartedly as she slid it onto the pickup counter. 

Ben approached her with a hesitant expression on his face. “I’m going to sit at our table until you’re off, we need to talk.” 

“This isn’t the time,” she answered dismissively. “I have responsibilities after closing.” 

“Maz won’t mind, please Rey?” 

She gave him a weary look and sighed. 

“Fine.” 

He went around the corner near the back to sit at their table. On one hand, she was thankful that she couldn’t see him, but on the other, it killed her to know that he was there waiting. Maz had been out a few times to talk to him, giving Rey a knowing look each time she’d passed by to return to the kitchen. 

Once the cafe had closed and she’d finished cleaning up after her shift, she reluctantly made her way to where Ben still sat. His coffee cup empty. 

“Don’t you need to be at dinner with your parents?” she asked. 

Ben sighed. “I canceled on them.” 

“Oh.”

“I suggested tomorrow after work instead, if that works for you.” 

Rey gave him a puzzled look. “You didn’t want me to come tonight, how is tomorrow any different?” 

“It’s not,” he explained. “I was an idiot earlier, I got it into my head that you’d hate the person I was around my parents and I freaked out. I was completely unreasonable.” 

Rey sat down in the chair across from him. 

“I felt like you were leaving me out,” she explained. “I’m used to not being wanted by families. My parents, the foster homes, being ignored by the system once they’d stuck me with Plutt and looked the other way. No one wanted me.” 

Ben looked horrified by her words. “No, Rey, sweetheart, that’s not it at all. This had _nothing_ to do with you, and everything to do with me. I was _so_ wrong.” 

She wiped a tear from her eyes. “I really want to understand, Ben.” 

“My mother has always put Resistance first,” he began.“It’s a big part of the reason that I went to First Order after grad school instead of working for Resistance as she wanted. I didn’t talk to my parents for years, and when I accepted the job from Snoke, they quit trying to talk to me. My mother hated him, First Order was their rival publishing house and she was well aware of the shady business they practiced. 

It took almost a year, and interference from my Godmother, until things finally started mending between us after I quit. We’ve come a long way, but our relationship is still strained. Plus, if you weren’t aware, my Mother can be a lot and we’re still coming up with a fair compromise where I involve her in my life, and she respects my boundaries. She’s been trying to make up for neglecting me as a kid, I think, so I try not to be too mad about it, but it’s hard. ”

She nodded once he had finished. “I’m glad you shared that with me. Thank you.” 

Ben looked over at her. “I feel like a jerk complaining when you’ve dealt with far worse, Rey.”

“You shouldn’t.” She sighed. “I owe you an apology as well.” 

“There is nothing that you need to be sorry for,” he assured her.

“I didn’t have to walk out on you without giving you a chance to explain. I’ve always been jealous of people who have parents and sometimes I’ll find myself wondering how anyone wouldn’t be thankful to have a family.” Rey stopped and cleared her throat. “Except not all families are good, my parents certainly weren’t. For years I wanted them to come back, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to realize how hurtful and toxic their abandonment was. I’m honestly not sure that I’d be able to forgive them or have a relationship with them if they were to suddenly reappear.  


I want a family of my own someday, but I’m beginning to accept that it doesn’t need to be with the people who gave birth to me.” 

Ben reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “I understand, and I’ll try and be more open. But for now, I just want to get you home. We can talk more later, okay?” 

*

Rey was fairly positive that Ben’s shower deserved a spot in her top five favorite places of all time. Especially at that moment as she sat on the built-in bench, leaning against the cool tile wall, as the warmth of misting water and steam surrounded her.

Ben stood in front of her rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, the trails of soap running down his body and onto the floor. She admired his muscular form through half-lidded eyes, grinning as he shook his hair out once he’d finished rinsing the suds out and then pushed it back off his face to look at her. 

“Your turn.” 

Rey groaned. “Do I have to stand up?” 

“Nope. I’ll do all the work,” he replied with a mischievous glance as he pumped a dollop of shampoo into his hand before walking over to her and sitting beside her on the bench. “Turn to the side.”

She obeyed his soft instruction, shifting so her back was to him. His hands gently began to lather the soap into her hair, carefully running through the strands on her head and scratching her scalp. Her back arched as she leaned into him, eyes closed at the soothing sensation. 

“That feels amazing,” she murmured. 

“Keep your eyes closed,” he said as she felt him scoop her into his arms. Careful to avoid her face, he held her under the water until the soap had been rinsed away. Returning her to the bench, he repeated the process with conditioner. 

“That might be the sexiest way that I’ve ever had my hair rinsed,” Rey said as she laughed.

Ben began to rub body wash on her back in smooth strokes, covering her sides and arms before turning her to face him and massaging the soap into her breasts and stomach. His hands slid down between her legs, briefly ghosting over her clit as he rubbed her folds and moved to her inner thighs. When he finally reached the tops of her feet, he helped her stand and rinse off the suds. 

“All clean?” he asked once she was done. 

“Yep,” she assured him.

“I’m glad. I’m going to get out now, but you can stay in as long as you like.”  


He kissed her softly on the top of the head and stepped out of the glass door. 

*

Ben tightened his grip around her as she tucked her head underneath his chin as they snuggled on the couch later that evening. 

“Can I continue our conversation from earlier?” he asked softly. 

“Of course, whatever you want to tell me,” Rey replied, tilting her head up to look at him. 

“In addition to my Mother working constantly for Resistance, my Father was rarely home, so I was raised mostly by Nannies,” he explained. “When I was old enough to figure out that my parents would only pay attention to me if I got into enough trouble, I took advantage of that. It got to the point where they didn’t want to deal with me anymore after I was expelled from two prep schools in the city before I finished eighth grade. My parents sent me upstate to live with my mother’s twin brother for High School and gave up on me."

Rey swallowed the lump in her throat, placing her hand on his thigh. “I’m so sorry Ben.”

“My Uncle Luke has always been a bit of an odd hippie type, he’s also an author but writes these bizarre self-help books and believes in this mystical force shit.” Ben snorted and continued talking. “He attempted using his books to help me, so I threw myself into school to avoid him. I guess it worked out because I ended up with decent enough grades to get into Columbia.” 

“Studying non-stop to avoid people. Sounds familiar.” Rey commented. 

“I thought about that when you told me your own story, but my uncle thought he meant well - your foster father was an ass.” Ben pointed out as he pressed a kiss to her temple. 

Rey let out a short bark of laughter and nodded for him to continue. 

“When I came back to the city for college, my mother tried to reach out to me many times and I refused to take her calls. The more she pushed, the angrier I became.”

“You had every right to be,” Rey assured him. “Even if they thought they were acting in your best interest when they sent you to live with your Uncle Luke, there was always going to be that resentment there that they had given up on you.” 

“That’s exactly how I felt. I wanted their attention and instead of giving it to me, they sent me away,” he said quietly.

Rey shifted against his chest. leaning her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

“I’m sorry it took me so long. It’s not something I talk about much,” he replied. 

“You can always talk to me,” she reminded him. 

He tightened his arms around her. “The same goes for you.”

“Is this where we have makeup sex?” Rey asked with a smile.

Ben returned her smile feeling a twinge in his cock at the implication of her words.

“You’ll have to get off the couch first.”

“Hmm,” Rey murmured skeptically and gave him a look. “Do I?” 

Ben moved her from his lap and was straddling over her with surprising speed. She squealed as his weight crushed against her, enthusiastically wrapping her arms around his torso. He buried his face into her neck, smelling the soft fragrance of her skin and hair, a mix of her shampoo and body wash with a scent that was uniquely his Rey. 

Gently he nuzzled his nose down the column of her throat, kissing softly along the collar of her shirt. He could feel her hands reaching for the hem of his top, tugging it upwards in an attempt to get it over his broad frame. Sitting up, he finished the job for her as she shifted her focus to discarding her own clothes. Her shirt went first, followed by the soft leggings, and finally her underwear. Ben soon joined her state of undress, and she boldly pulled him back on top of her. 

There was no foreplay as she spread her legs, bucking her pelvis up against his already hardened cock, urging for him to enter her. She was already dripping wet and he moaned as he felt the way she coated him with each pass against his groin. Her pleas grew as he continued to tease her, before finally gripping himself in hand and sliding home. 

“Yes, sweetheart,” he exhaled, feeling the familiar tightness of her channel surround him. 

Rey wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face to hers and kissing him intensely as she urged him to increase the tempo of his movements. 

“I need it hard and fast,” she growled against her lips, all traces of her previous lethargy gone. 

Ben hoisted her legs around his waist, sitting up and bracing his arms on either side of her. He felt her ankles cross, digging into the top of his ass, and began to fuck her in earnest. Rey chanted his name until her words were incoherent. 

“Fuck Rey, you’re so hot,” he ground out, watching as her small breasts bounced with every thrust. “I love watching your perfect tits move as I fuck you.”

She responded with more pleading, frantically pulled his head down to her chest, her request obvious. He took one of her pert little nipples in his mouth, pulling it gently between his teeth before flicking it softly with his tongue. Ben switched between her two breasts until she clenched around him and came with a loud cry. 

Still chasing after his orgasm, he waited until her climax had passed and then grabbed her firmly around the waist and encouraged her to turn over onto all fours. Rey eagerly complied, and he positioned himself behind her, thrusting into her once again. She held onto the arm of the couch as he watched his dick piston in and out of her pussy, still dripping wet with her release. 

With a hoarse cry, he came hard, collapsing against her back and pulling them both down into a spooning position. 

“As much as I love laying here with you like this, I think we’ll both be happier tomorrow at work if we sleep in my bed,” Ben said after a few moments. 

Rey yawned and nodded in agreement as he picked her up carefully and carried her into his bedroom. 

Within minutes, she was asleep in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I set out to write this story, I knew I had to include these parts of both Ben and Rey's past that were inspired by canon: Rey's abandonment, Ben's history at FO, and his relationship with his parents. I also wanted to take into account that this doesn't take place on the canon timeline and that there have been a few years for them both to have time to start to heal. Rey's had Rose, Finn, and Maz in her life for four years (and more recently Kaydel, Poe, Jannah, Jess, and even Ben) and Ben's been rebuilding his relationship with his parents for a couple of years, he's had Amilyn, he now has Rey, etc. So I feel like there would have been some growth there that may seem OOC to the end of TROS Rey (and Ben had he lived). Their past is still something that can be difficult to discuss or deal with (Ben being reluctant to talk about it at first, Rey lashing out when she feels personally slighted) but I also felt like they'd be at a place where you do see how they've grown a bit. 
> 
> I didn't intend to cover so much in just one chapter, but the initial plan I had to address all of this was drawn out too long for how I wanted the tone and pacing of the story to go and it just felt like forced drama once I sat down and looked it over again. I still have more little convos between them planned to continue showing that growth but overall this was probably one of my heavier chapters in the whole story. 
> 
> The next chapter should be out at the end of the week - I got a new laptop for my birthday this weekend and need to transfer all of my writing over, but I'm really excited to get to type somewhere other than my desktop! 
> 
> I'd love to know what you are thinking, and I love reading your comments!


	15. Meddling, Memories, and a Meal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben have dinner with Han and Leia, and learn a bit more about each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun writing this chapter and there's some more backstory, some more insight on Ben & Rey's feelings, and a few things you may be curious about that I’ll answer in future chapters! 
> 
> There's a bit more POV switching than I've posted before, watch the **** breaks ;-)
> 
> Thanks, as always, for the kudos and comments and subs! I love hearing what you think!

_Rey: I know you’re working with Mr. Ematt, but your mother just emailed that she’s coming down to see me_

**Ben: I’m sorry.**

**Ben: It’s probably because I told her why I had to reschedule for tonight.**

_Rey: You told her that I panicked?!_

**Ben: No! I told her that _I_ panicked. **

_Rey: Oh…_

**Ben: She’ll probably assure you that I’m ridiculous. You don’t have to listen to her.**

_Rey: She’s the boss of the entire company, Ben. Your mother or not, I can’t just ignore her._

_Rey: Shit, she’s walking down the hall._

_Rey: This is all your fault!_

“Hello, dear!” Leia greeted her as she approached her desk.

Rey stood and shook the woman’s hand with a smile. “Hello, Ms. Organa.”

Leia scoffed. “Please, call me Leia.”

“Right. Leia, how can I help you?”

“Take a seat dear, you don’t need to keep standing,” Leia said as she motioned for Rey to sit down. “I just wanted to check-in with you about tonight and let you know how thrilled Han and I are to have you for dinner. Is there anything you like to eat in particular? Any allergies?”

“Oh, hmm, no. No allergies. I’ll eat just about anything, honestly.” She fidgeted in her seat and glanced briefly over at Ben’s office.

Leia followed her gaze. “I’m sorry that last night didn’t work out, I’m sure Ben has told you that things between him and his father and I are still mending?”

Rey nodded. “He has."

The older woman shifted in place and sighed. “This isn’t the place to talk it over, but I did want you to know that you are always welcome and I’m looking forward to tonight.”

“Thank you, I’m looking forward to it as well,” Rey replied genuinely.

All nervousness aside, she _was_ curious about seeing the home where Ben had been raised.

“Great!” Leia clapped her hands together before reaching out and patting Rey on the shoulder. “I need to get back upstairs, but I’ll see you around 5:30. It was wonderful to come down for a chat, we’ll have to get together for some girl talk soon!”

“Of course, I’d really like that,” Rey replied.

As soon as Leia had left, she picked her up her phone and noticed a text from Ben.

**Ben: How did it go?**

_Rey: Well, she didn’t call you ridiculous…_

**Ben: But…**

_Rey: She’s looking forward to tonight_

_Rey: And she wants to get together another time soon for girl talk_

**Ben: You have my most sincere apologies.**

_Rey: Ben! Your mother is nice!_

**Ben: “Girl Talk” in Leia Organa speak is a healthy dose of meddling, a side of passive-aggressive commentary, and a subtle undercurrent of “when am I getting grandchildren?”**

_Rey: She can’t be that bad._

**Ben: See for yourself at dinner tonight. If she doesn’t bring up future grandbabies, I’ll go down on you twice in a row once we get home.**

_Rey: And what if she does?_

**Ben: I’ll still go down on you twice ;-)**

_Rey: Only if I can go down on you at the same time…_

**Ben: Fuck, Rey, I’m on a conference call.**

_Rey: You say that as if you didn’t start it…_

_Rey: Have a nice call, Benjamin. I need to buckle down and get back to work. It feels like I have at least 69 things left on my list for the day. It’s going to be so hard._

**Ben: The way I’m going to make you pay later.**

_Rey: Promises, promises…_

****

Ben held Rey’s hand as they walked from their office building to the Park Avenue penthouse located amongst fancy hotels and high-end shops on the East Side of Central Park in the affluent neighborhood of Lennox Hill.

“I used to dream of living there as a child,” Rey mentioned as they passed by the Plaza Hotel. “When I was around six or seven, I was briefly placed with a family who had a daughter around my age. She owned the movie based on those _Eloise at the Plaza_ books. We’d watch it almost every day, it was our favorite.”

He smiled softly at her and filed that information away for later. “I used to want to stay there and order massive ice cream sundaes and play pranks on the staff.”

“The second Home Alone?” she questioned with a smirk.

“Indeed,” Ben grinned down at her. “It was the first movie I remember seeing in the theaters, it came out right after I turned five. Kevin McCallister was my hero.”

They continued along the busy streets until they arrived at the green canopy-covered entrance to the building. Shaking away the last of his hesitations about the evening, he approached the doorman who greeted them with a polite nod of recognition.

With any luck, his mother would spend the entire evening focusing on Rey and he could join his father in sitting quietly and letting out an occasional nod or grunt.

“You’re here!” Leia greeted them with a smile, ushering them in the front door. “Come in, come in.”

The five-bedroom, six thousand square foot penthouse sat at the top of an unassuming fifteen-story brick building on the corner of Park Avenue and 61st street. Ben watched as Rey took in the dramatic gallery that led past several rooms, ending with the grand living area that overlooked the street below.

“Thank you for having me,” Rey replied as she removed her coat. Ben took the garment and hung it up in the front closet along with his jacket.

“Of course, I’m thrilled that tonight worked out for all of us.” His Mother’s gaze landed on him with a knowing stare. “I’ll have Ben give you a tour later, but for now I have drinks waiting down the hall.”

He placed his hand on the small of Rey’s back as they walked behind Leia.

“I feel like I’m in an art museum,” she muttered as they passed by several prominent paintings.

“Try living here while being five and being told that you can’t ride your scooter down the hallway because you might fall over and damage one of them,” he replied with a chuckle.

Leia turned around and rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure you tried anyway, multiple times. Including the one time you did fall over and took out a side table, a vase of flowers, and put your arm in a cast.”

Rey grinned over at him. “I have a feeling that I’m going to get to know a lot more about you tonight.”

Ben sighed, fixing a glare on his Mother. “Exactly how many stories do you have lined up to share with Rey?”

He knew he was in trouble when he saw the mischievous look cross Leia’s face. “Plenty, along with the home videos and photo albums I hauled out of storage last night.” She reached out and grabbed Rey’s hand, “I found the sweetest picture of two-year-old Ben running on the balcony in just a cowboy hat.”

“Mother. Not -” Ben started, but Leia had already pulled Rey away and was eagerly chatting with her as they walked towards the couch.

“I tried to stop her kid, but you know your Mom.” Han shrugged as they sat in side-by-side armchairs.

He watched across the room as Leia and Rey sat side-by-side, bent over an open photo album. Leia would point out a picture and murmur an explanation, causing Rey to erupt into laughter before looking up at Ben with a large grin on her face.

Ben loved that Rey was so happy, but it was hard to observe his mother’s enthusiasm over a childhood that he didn’t remember her wanting to be part of. He wondered if Rey realized that many of the pictures in those albums were taken by nannies. Would she notice how few contained either of his parents, save for the two times a year that Leia would insist they have a professional family portrait taken?

Briefly, he noticed that Rey’s face had fallen, and she’d begun to blink back tears. Catching her eye, he gave her a questioning glance and she quickly assured him with a watery smile that she was alright.

It hit him then. Rey wouldn’t have parents to take him home to. She didn’t have a mother who would pull out photo albums and home videos to share with him. There wouldn’t be anyone to share stories about the trouble she got into as a kid or show off embarrassing pictures.

His parents may not have been around for him as a child, but it was clear that they were trying now.

****

Rey sat next to Leia on a small couch as the older woman flipped through pages of old family pictures. Ben had been an adorable little boy with dark hair, smiling eyes, and big ears. Snapshots of him in school uniforms, playing at the park, celebrating holidays, and birthdays, and on various vacations littered the pages.

“Oh! This was my favorite Halloween costume of Ben’s!” Leia exclaimed as she pointed at a six-year-old dressed as a knight in a full suit of armor. “He could hardly walk in the damn thing, or see out of the helmet, but he traipsed all around the building brandishing his sword and yelling out _‘I’ve come to save da pwincess!’_ It was adorable.”

Rey glanced over at Ben with a huge smile on her face. “We may need to rethink our costumes for Poe and Finn’s party!”

Ben had been surprisingly open to the idea of attending her friend’s Halloween bash, but it had taken a lot of compromising for him to agree to wear a costume.

“Don’t even think about it,” Ben warned. “You’re already pushing your luck with the outfit I agreed to wear.”

“Poe Dameron?” Leia asked.

“The very same. He’s been dating one of my best college friends, Finn, for about a year and a half now. They threw a Halloween party last year and are trying to make it an annual tradition,” Rey explained.

Leia nodded in recognition. “Ah yes, I remember seeing the pictures on his Instagram from last year.”

“You follow Poe on Instagram?”

“ _You’re_ on Instagram?”

Ben and Rey both replied at the same time.

“I have an Instagram account, Benjamin, and a Twitter page. I’m even verified with that fancy little blue checkmark,” she boasted. “You’d know this if you ever used yours.”

“I hate social media,” Ben grumbled.

“You also hate Halloween but you’re going to a party AND dressing up,” Leia pointed out. “Speaking of, what are you two wearing for your costumes? There are so many great options for couples!”

“We’re going as -” Rey started.

Ben interrupted before she could finish. “It’s a surprise!”

Leia waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll find out when Poe posts pictures in a couple of weeks.”

****

Leia stood up after closing the photo album that she and Rey had finished browsing. “Han, come with me and help finish getting dinner ready.”

Ben watched his father let out an annoyed huff, but begrudgingly agree. “Duty calls,” he groaned.

“Ben, you should take Rey on a tour and show her the rest of the house,” his mother suggested as she walked towards the doors that led to the hallway. “It’ll be another half an hour until the food is on the table.”

“No sex in your old room!” Han called out as he followed behind Leia.

Ben shook his head at the resulting sound of a muffled thud, followed by a deep grunt.

“Your parents are something else,” Rey smiled as she walked over to his side.

“That’s putting it lightly,” he agreed. “You and my Mom looked like you were having a good time.”

“We were, it was nice to see what you looked like as a little kid,” she replied before adding quietly, “I don’t have any pictures like that of myself.”

Ben looked at her for a moment. “That crossed my mind as I watched you tonight, are you doing okay?”

Rey shrugged. “I’m always going to wish that I had more than a few crumpled snapshots. The youngest picture I have of myself was from year five when the teacher took a class picture and printed out a copy for each of us. It’s horrible quality and I’m half-hidden behind another kid, but I’ve managed to hang on to it through all of my moves.”

“I’d love to see it sometime.”

“I’ll try and remember to grab it the next time I’m home,” Rey promised. “If you’re lucky, I’ll bring the two I saved from a school dance in year eight as well. Those were taken shortly after I attempted to become a blonde.”

“I’m guessing it wasn’t successful?” He raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head and laughed. “A friend and I tried to do it ourselves with some mix of household chemicals we’d found on a questionable website. She had lighter hair already, so it worked out well for her.” Rey paused and pointed to her head, tugging gently at her darker brown locks. “This turned a wonderful shade of pale orange and felt like brittle straw. My foster parents were not pleased. I eventually cut it to my chin when enough of my natural hair color had grown out. I suppose that is one upside to not having many pictures, the two-toned look I sported for almost a year was horrendous.”

“I bet you still looked beautiful,” Ben replied honestly.

“You would’ve been the only one to think so.”

A silent pause settled over the room after as neither of them knew what to say. Eventually, Ben cleared his throat and spoke.

“I told my parents not to ask you about your family, I didn’t share any details - that’s your story to tell, but I knew you wouldn’t want to be put on the spot tonight.”

“Thank you,” Rey whispered.

“Shall we go see the rest of this place?” He suggested, pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.

She returned his embrace and nodded against his chest.

****

Rey looked around in amazement as Ben led her into the adjacent library first, the room was filled with wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookshelves containing thousands of titles. A pair of armchairs sat in one corner by a fireplace, and a large desk dominated the other side of the room. She eagerly scanned the shelves, recognizing a mix of both classic and modern titles, as well as many of Resistance Publishing’s best sellers among the collection.

The double doors he led them to next opened to reveal Han and Leia’s master suite. It was similar in size to Ben’s bedroom at his apartment and featured a similarly opulent bathroom. As they made their way back towards the large gallery hall, they passed a spacious guest bedroom.

“You’ll see the kitchen and dining room when we have dinner,” Ben explained as he gestured further down the hallway. “My parents get disgustingly affectionate when they cook together, or rather – my father does, and my mother gets annoyed and attacks him with whatever utensil she’s holding.”

“That sounds like us last week when I was trying to make breakfast,” Rey pointed out.

She’d been hoping to surprise him with pancakes after waking up early and he’d snuck up behind her, completely naked, and startled her so badly that she’d flipped the half-cooked pancake off the spatula. It had landed on the floor, just barely missing a certain protruding part of his anatomy.

He blushed. “We don’t talk about that.”

“It still happened,” she taunted him in a sing-song voice as she followed him down a staircase to the lower level.

At the bottom of the stairs was another large living area, this one much more modern that the formal sitting room upstairs. An oversized sectional faced a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, flanked by shelving for a Blu-ray player and gaming systems, along with mounted speakers for surround sound. A wet bar ran along one side of the room, and a pool table was tucked away in a back corner. 

He showed her a second smaller kitchen adjacent to the living area before leading her back across the room to two bedrooms. The larger of the two had been his room since he was an infant, though it hardly showed any trace of the boy who used to live there. It was decorated modestly with basic furniture and dark blue linens. The other had been used by whatever live-in Nanny had been working at the time but had since been turned into a home gym.

“This would’ve been the perfect spot for parties if I’d not been sent upstate,” Ben shrugged as he watched Rey glance around. “My parents were sure out of town enough to get away with it too.”

“Also, for bringing girls home,” she said teasingly.

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing his chin on the top of her head. “Only one girl.”

Rey turned into his embrace and lifted her chin, capturing his lips with hers. “Don’t lie, you would have invited plenty over if the opportunity had been there.”

He pulled her towards the couch and into his lap, shaking his head.

“Not as much as you’re thinking,” He answered softly. “I didn’t date much until college, and even then, there wasn’t anyone serious. My studies kept me busy, and Snoke kept me busier. He thought relationships were a waste. It only mattered that I showed up to company events with a vapid socialite on my arm and forgot about them before I returned to the office Monday morning.”

“That’s horrible.”

“One of the many reasons why I hated it there.”

A voice from the top of the stairs interrupted their attempt at another kiss when Han yelled down to let them know that dinner was ready. Rey slid from Ben’s lap and they both stood up and headed for the upper floor of the penthouse.

“We’ve got everything on the table!” Leia called out from the entrance to the dining room.

Han led the two into the wood-paneled room with a large table in the center set for four. “You two can sit there,” he instructed, pointing to the two chairs on the left side of the table.

“It looks wonderful, Leia,” Rey smiled as she took a seat and admired the pot roast, mashed potatoes, salad, and rolls before her.

“Thank you, dear,” Leia beamed. “Did Ben give you a nice tour of the place?”

“He did. Your home is so beautiful,” Rey replied, slipping the cloth napkin at her place setting into her lap.

“Do we have to wait to eat until you get a play by play of the tour, Princess?” Han asked with a raised eyebrow.

Rey couldn’t hold back a small giggle as Leia shot Han a dirty look.

“My apologies, Han usually eats during the early bird special hours,” Leia retorted, earning a snort from both Han and Ben. “Eat up, everyone.”

Silence descended over the table as the dishes were passed around and their plates were filled with an assortment of food. Han poured them each a glass of red wine to accompany the meal and soon everyone was eagerly digging in.

“These mashed potatoes are amazing,” Rey complimented as she took another bite of the rich, buttery, and creamy dish.

“I can send the recipe to you, it’s from a dear friend of mine,” Leia offered.

“Aunt Ami?” Ben asked from next to her.

Rey looked at Han curiously, she’d known that Leia only had a twin brother, but she’d never asked about his father’s siblings. “Your sister?” she inquired.

Han let out a bark of laughter.

Before he could answer, Leia cut in. “My college best friend, Amilyn, she’s Ben’s godmother and has been like an aunt to him his entire life. She helped me start Resistance, actually, but left several years ago to travel and now runs a writing website.”

“Yeah. Porn literature,” Han snorted.

Rey felt her face go pale. She’d always assumed Ben knew who Amilyn was, but it had never occurred to her she was the Godmother he’d mentioned in passing.

“Really, Han. Passion and Prose is an amazing achievement for Ami. That site is ridiculously popular,” Leia chided. “You’ve heard of it, I’m sure, Rey?”

Rey blushed and nodded.

“You women can keep your harlequin stories; I much prefer the visual stuff. Right Ben?” Han raised his wine glass in a mock toast.

Ben laughed and lifted his glass as well. “Sure, Dad.”

“You two are impossible,” Leia huffed. “Ignore them, Rey. I can’t remember the last time Han even _touched_ a book, and Ben here has it written into his job agreement at Resistance that he never has to work with our romance novels.”

“You threatened to assign me to edit only bodice rippers when I agreed to come work for you, I wasn’t taking my chances,” Ben replied.

Han let out a laugh. “Smart move, kid.”

Thankfully, the conversation quickly moved to another topic and she pushed the newly acquired knowledge to the back of her mind, along with any immediate plans to tell Ben about her side job. Realistically she knew that he would be supportive but convincing herself of that fact wasn’t easy.

Rey had tried to keep many details about her life a secret growing up. It was harder for people to judge her if they didn’t know everything. Despite her best efforts, the other students always knew that she was a foster kid, especially with how often she was moved from home to home. After she’d been placed with Plutt, the nickname, “Jakku Junkyard Girl”, had followed her until she’d graduated.

She’d tell him eventually.

“That went well,” Rey mentioned as they strolled through Central Park after leaving Han and Leia’s penthouse that evening.

Ben tightened his grip on her hand. “Yeah, I suppose it did.”

“Thanks for bringing me along,” Rey looked up at him.

“It should have happened last night,” he shrugged.

“We may not have had the conversations we needed to have yesterday otherwise,” she told him honestly.

They walked in silence the rest of the way, following the winding path through the middle of Central Park as dusk settled over the city.

It wasn’t until they were on the elevator that Rey turned to Ben with a mischievous look on her face.

“Hey, Ben?”

“Yes, Sweetheart?”

“Your Mother didn’t mention grandchildren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut cliffhanger, sorry! But guess what you have to look forward to at the beginning of chapter 16?! 
> 
> I’d love to hear what you think Ben & Rey are going as for Halloween. Any guesses? 
> 
> Real Life Location Info:  
> Leia and Han's penthouse is located at 535 Park Avenue. If you type that in a Google search, there's a Zillow listing for the building/apartment I used as my inspiration when describing the layout. 
> 
> Starting next week, I’ll begin posting my movie exchange fic - it's eight chapters (already written, first draft style) and I'm planning to update it weekly. Depending on how much time I have, I may slow updates on this story to once a week as well - especially in September when my kiddos start school (their district is 100% virtual, and the proposed schedules I've seen so far are a lot...and I have three to juggle, including one starting middle school). But as promised, this is (almost) completely written and I am way too excited about my ending to ever give it up.


	16. Riding Then Writing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben owes Rey a couple of things after dinner with his parents. The following day, they both receive emails from Amilyn which leads to an evening of editing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This starts out with over one thousand words of smut, enjoy!

_ "Fuck!"  _ Rey cried out from above him. 

As soon as they’d returned to his apartment, Ben had lifted her into his arms and made it as far as the living room before depositing her into an armchair and dropping to his knees. 

At her nod of consent, he pulled down the underwear she wore beneath her dress and dove in - smiling against her center as he attacked her cunt with vigor. Her bare legs were flung over his shoulders, trapping him between her thighs.

“You’re so wet for me,” Ben observed. “Sweetheart, you’ve made _such_ a mess already.” 

The combination of her arousal and his saliva ran down his chin as he continued to work her into a frenzy. He rubbed at her clit as his tongue explored her folds, slipping inside and  _ tasting  _ every inch of her. 

“Ben, I can’t it’s - it’s too much!” 

Removing his mouth, he inserted two fingers, twisting them to stroke at her front wall as he traced her clit with light circles using his tongue. Rey’s hands gripped the arms of the chair as she bucked her hips up to his face, a stream of incoherent profanities passed through her lips. 

“That’s it, my sweet girl,” he murmured as he pulled away to look up at her. “Did you need to come?” 

Rey nodded furiously. 

His mouth was back on her before she could respond and her babbling pleas filled the room again. He moved his hand quickly, thrumming his fingers against her g-spot. A simple flick of his tongue against her nub nearly undid her. 

“Fuck, fuck, FUCK, Ben, oh fuck -” 

“Say please,” he demanded. 

She whimpered. 

“I didn’t understand that, sweetheart, what did you say?” 

“Ben,” she sobbed. _"Please."_

He closed his mouth around her clit and sucked. Hard. 

She shattered. 

“You okay?” he asked after a moment. 

Rey combed her fingers through his hair and nodded. “I think so.” 

Ben pulled himself into a sitting position and continued to rest his head against her thigh as she played with his thick locks, her fingernails lightly teasing at his scalp. 

“You’re not going to sleep until I’ve made you come a second time,” he warned teasingly as he heard her yawn. 

“Then you better get to work on that, I’m not going to be awake much longer.” 

He grabbed her under her thighs and stood up, carrying her as she clung to him with her legs gripping his waist and her arms wrapped around his neck. They stopped briefly to remove the rest of their clothes, strewing them about his bedroom floor, before they reached the bed. Ben wasted no time in laying Rey out before him, and diving between her legs. His tongue found her clit, sucking the small bud as his finger teased at her entrance.

Ben felt her shift as she sat up, grabbing onto his shoulders. “Lay down on your back” she instructed. He obeyed without hesitation. Rey gave him a wicked smirk before she turned her body away from him, swinging her leg over his waist and bending forward to give him an incredible view of her dripping cunt. Guiding her hips over his face, she lowered her mouth to his erect cock and placed a soft kiss on the tip.

“Oh sweetheart, fuck that feels good,” he moaned as she proceeded to take him into her mouth. Her tongue lapping along the sides of his length and swirling up around the head. Ben grabbed the firm globes of her ass, pulling her pussy to his lips and resuming his earlier attention on her still swollen clit. He worked his finger back inside, pumping slowly as he tried to focus on giving her pleasure despite the distraction of his building climax.

Rey’s legs trembled as she braced one hand against his thigh while her other hand wrapped firmly around the base of his cock. She closed her mouth around him, taking in as much of his length as she could handle and sucking him eagerly as she moaned against the sensitive flesh. The vibrations from her humming shot straight through his cock as she desperately tried to grind herself against his face.

She sat up a moment later, panting heavily as she turned to face him.

“I need your cock, _please_."

He grabbed her waist as she positioned her center over his cock and lowered herself down to the hilt. 

“So tight,” he groaned as the familiar grip of her warm channel surrounded him. “Look how well you take me. How fucking hot my cock looks inside your pussy right now.”

Rey sighed, as he thrust his hips up to meet hers. Her hands pressed against his chest as she met his movements, rotating in a figure-eight like motion. 

_"Shit!_ A soft giggle escaped her lips as she moved too far and he slipped out of her. She grabbed for his cock to position him back at her entrance, throwing off her balance in the process and falling to one side. 

Ben smirked and steadied her with his hand. “My turn to be on top.”

They switched positions as he rolled her over, swiftly entering her again. Lowering his head to her breasts, he took one of her nipples into his mouth. She mewled as he swirled his tongue around the pointed tip, flicking it gently in time with the rhythm of their fucking. Her hands grasped his back, nails digging into the flesh under his shoulder blades. 

“That’s it, sweetheart, I want you to give me everything,” he growled. 

He could feel Rey’s mouth along his neck as she placed wet open-mouthed kisses down to his collarbone, sucking the skin there and undoubtedly leaving her mark. 

“Mine,” she whispered, soothing the abused patch of skin with her tongue.

Ben chuckled and returned the sentiment, marking her left breast over her heart.

He pushed up onto his knees and grabbed her calves, placing her legs against his shoulders, giving him the perfect view of his cock sliding in and out of her cunt as he pounded into her with a steady rhythm. “You look so fucking hot like this. Your greedy little pussy is taking my dick so well.” 

“I’m so close, Ben,” Rey panted as she brought one hand to her center to rub at her clit. The sight of her pleasuring herself as he fucked her drove him wild. He felt his release build quickly, reaching his climax only moments later. 

_"Fuck,"_ he hissed, continuing to rock softly in and out of her as Rey furiously brought herself to orgasm just moments later.

****

Rey woke up ahead of Ben the following morning. It was still dark out and the clock on the bedside table read 5:26 AM. After a short attempt to fall back asleep, she sat up and carefully slid out from his embrace. Walking quietly to the bathroom, she entered the closet and flipped on the light. A few weeks earlier she had brought over a few outfits and some toiletries to keep at his place. Ben had been thrilled to empty a few drawers and clear space in his closet for her.  Selecting a matching bra and underwear set, she slid them on before dressing in a simple pair of light grey dress pants and a black boatneck sweater. 

He was still fast asleep when she returned to the bedroom after getting ready for the day. His naked form twisted in the white sheets as he lay sprawled out across one side of the bed. She paused for a moment and watched as he stirred briefly before slipping out of the room. 

The living room was dark and quiet, dimly illuminated by the lights of the city. Rey turned on a small lamp and searched around for the purse she’d carelessly tossed aside when they’d arrived home the previous evening. She found it next to the coffee table and pulled out her phone.

Her battery was nearly dead. 

With a groan, she dug around in her bag for the extra charging cable she carried and plugged it in before taking a seat on the couch. Rey swiped away a few notifications from her social media accounts and a text from Kaydel that she’d answer later. 

A new email sat in her inbox from Amilyn. Rey was sure that it had nothing to do with Ben, but she hurried to click on it all the same. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com** >

**Subject: Upcoming Publishing Timeline!**

Hello, My Dear! 

I wanted to check in with you and see how things are coming along with your story. To meet the deadline for publishing your first chapter a week from tomorrow, I’ll need the completed first half of your story by Thursday at the latest.

Later this week, I’ll be assigning you to work with one of our graphic designers to create a cover image that we’ll use to promote your work on our main page this weekend. 

If it is alright with you, I’d love to have you work with Jannah Calrissian since you already know her. She has one space left in her schedule right now, so please let me know ASAP if that will work for you. If not, I’ll assign you to someone else - we have a great team who all do fantastic work! 

I’ve also emailed Kylo to encourage him along as well. I realize that you two have not always seen eye-to-eye, but it seems like things have been going better as of late? It’s been a while since I’ve received an email from either of you, so I’m taking that as a good sign. 

If he gives you too much trouble with this chapter, let me know and I will step in and help. 

I am looking forward to reading the first half of your story.

All My Best,

Amilyn 

Rey grinned as she read the message and didn’t wait to send a reply. 

**To: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net> **

**Subject: Re: Upcoming Publishing Timeline!**

Amilyn,

I have a few more edits to make before I send the final updated draft of chapter nine to Kylo, but it should be no problem to have a complete and edited draft finished before Thursday. As you mentioned, he’s thankfully been easier to work with lately. 

I would love to work with Jannah and was planning to ask if you didn’t bring it up first! She’s read a few scenes of my story already and loves it, so I can’t wait to see what she will come up with for the artwork. 

On a more personal note, I’m sure you know that I’ve been dating Ben Solo for a little over a month now? We had dinner with his parents last night and while I was aware that you were a close friend of Leia’s, I had no idea you were Ben’s godmother! He’s mentioned you in passing a few times, but I didn’t make the connection between “Aunt Ami” and yourself. Leia served your mashed potatoes at dinner and they were the best I’d ever had! She gave me a copy of the recipe and I’m sure they will become my new comfort food. 

I’ve not yet told Ben that I write for your site yet, so please don’t mention it to him. I hope that you don’t think I am ashamed to write for P&P - I plan to share eventually when I’m ready, but for now, I’m most comfortable keeping it to myself and a few close friends. 

Besides, I’m sure you’ve heard Ben’s thoughts on romance novels - so I doubt he’d be interested anyway. 

I hope you have a great week and I will be sure to contact you by Thursday!

Thanks,

Rey 

****

The other side of the bed was empty when Ben woke up to his 6:35 AM alarm. Bleary-eyed, he stumbled from bed and got ready for work on autopilot before heading into the living room to find Rey sitting on the couch. 

“Good morning,” she greeted him with a smile. 

“How long have you been up?” he asked as he crossed the room and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead. 

Rey dropped her phone into her lap. “Since before 5:30.”

“Did you make coffee yet?”

“No, I meant to start a pot earlier and got distracted scrolling social media.” She began to stand.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her another kiss, this time on the lips. “I’ll go, you don’t need to get up.” 

As the coffee machine started up and he measured out the grounds, he glanced through the notifications on his phone before opening his email. A bolded message from his Godmother sat at the top. Ben skimmed through quickly and grimaced. 

He’d been so busy editing Caluan Ematt’s novel for Resistance over the past month, that he’d been giving the bare minimum to his Passion and Prose stories. Even for Kira, whose works he normally delighted in finding every possible error. She had sent her latest draft of her most recent chapter on Saturday morning and he’d sent back his edits that afternoon, but he was still waiting for her to return an updated version. 

Ben had rolled his eyes when Amilyn threatened to step in and reminded him twice about the approaching publishing date. He sent her a reply and then opened his Passion and Prose inbox to send a quick message to Kira. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 9, Updated Draft Needed**

Kira,

I’m sure that Amilyn Holdo has emailed you this morning as well about the urgency of finishing the edits for your ninth chapter. I returned my notes on Saturday afternoon, it is now Tuesday morning and I am still waiting for an updated draft. If this needs to be completed by Thursday, please have a response in my inbox by this afternoon. 

I will not be rushing to make sure you meet your deadline if you send it any later. 

Kylo 

When the coffee had finished brewing, he poured two mugs, adding a bit of the creamer Rey loved to hers, and returned to the living room. 

“Here sweetheart,” he said as he placed the steaming cup on the table in front of her. 

She glanced up at him with a small smile. “You’re the best.” 

“Only for you,” he replied with a wink. “What are your plans this evening?”

“I should probably go back to my place tonight, I need to catch up on a few things with the girls,” Rey said as she sipped slowly at her coffee.

“That works out well then, I will likely be working late with some last-minute edits that need to be finished this week,” he replied.

Rey gave him an understanding look. “I can’t wait until you’re done editing Mr. Ematt’s book, it’s been so much work for you.”

“We’re close,” Ben assured her. 

It wasn’t entirely a lie, he did have editing for Resistance to finish this week as well, but it wasn’t anything he’d need to do outside of his normal work hours. 

“When you’re finished, we’re celebrating,” Rey decided with a grin. 

Ben lifted his mug in a mock toast. “I’ll drink to that.” 

  
  
  


****

  
  


Rey had returned home after work and immediately changed into her pajamas, poured a glass of wine, and opened her laptop. She scanned through the latest draft, picking back up where she’d last left off on early Saturday evening before Ben had texted her that he was taking a break from editing and sending an Uber over to bring her to his place. 

It didn’t take long to finish correcting the errors and wording issues, especially as she skipped over the more ridiculous suggestions Kylo had included. When the final edits were completed, she saved her work and uploaded the finished draft into a new message.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 9, Draft 3**

Kylo,

My apologies for taking a day longer than usual to get back to you, I occasionally have a life outside of sitting behind a computer screen. 

I’ve fixed most of your suggested edits and added a few clarifications. Hopefully, this meets your high standards. 

Reminder: the sooner I finish, the sooner you no longer have to edit my story. I think that’s a win-win for both of us.

Kira

“You’re back!” Jess announced as she walked into the apartment with Kaydel. 

“How was dinner with his parents?” Kaydel asked as the two joined her in the living room. 

“It went really well. His mom showed me hundreds of little Ben pictures, and their penthouse is amazing.” Rey gushed. “Oh! I can’t forget to tell you the most insane part. You know how Amilyn Holdo who owns P&P is a friend of Leia’s?” 

“Was she there?” Kaydel looked at her with wide eyes. 

Rey shook her head. “No, but she’s Ben’s godmother.” 

“Holy shit! And you had no idea?” Jess gasped. 

“Well, he’s mentioned his godmother and he referred to her as Aunt Ami once, but I didn’t make the connection. Looking back, it’s so obvious. I’m surprised I didn’t figure it out before.”

Kaydel took a seat at the kitchen table. “So, did you finally tell Ben about your story?” 

“Nope, and I’m not sure when I will either.” Rey shrugged. “Leia brought up Passion and Prose at dinner and Ben and his Dad started making fun of the site. Guys, he’ll think I’m ridiculous if he knows that I’m writing something for it.” 

“Aww babe, I doubt that,” Kaydel assured her. 

Jess nodded in agreement. “I’m with Kay, but I also understand why you’re hesitant and I don’t think that there’s anything wrong keeping it to yourself for now. Especially since you’re already nervous about publishing your first chapter soon, that’s next week right?” 

“That’s the plan as long as Kylo signs off on chapter nine by Thursday,” Rey replied. “I just sent off what better be the last draft about fifteen minutes ago.” 

“Let’s order food while we wait for his reply, I’ve been craving Thai all day,” Jess suggested. 

“I’m down for that plan,” Kaydel added. 

Rey smiled and pulled out her phone. “Sounds good, what should we get?”

  
  


Dinner provided the perfect distraction while she waited for a response from Kylo. Rose arrived home from work just in time to add to their order and promptly demanded an update from Rey, which led to her resharing the details of dinner with Han and Leia. 

By the time they finished eating, a message was waiting in her inbox. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 9, Draft 3.5**

Kira,

There are a few small edits needed in the additions you made between the second and third drafts that you’ll need to fix. Please revise and return. I also urge you to reconsider fixing the suggestions you have chosen to ignore. Personally, I wouldn’t post anything with those errors, but as you’ve clearly shown your distaste for certain writing rules in the past, I’ll not hold my breath. 

I’m well aware of the timeline, and what will happen when you finish your story. Submit corrections on the latest draft by 10 PM this evening and I’ll sign off on it. Deal? 

Kylo 

She did a little dance in her chair as she opened the attached file and noticed that Kylo had not exaggerated his claim that there were only a few small edits to be fixed. Scrolling through the document and fixing a few misplaced commas and the wording in one sentence, she saved her work and went back to the top for a final read-through to double-check. 

Satisfied, she replied with the updated draft.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 9, Final Draft**

Kylo,

Done with an hour and seven minutes to spare. 

It’s kind of endearing that you keep trying to bring outdated rules back. Not exactly the type of nostalgia most people are into, but I admire your commitment. 

Kira 

“Fingers crossed this is the final one,” she muttered to herself as she hit send. 

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 9, Final Draft Complete.**

Kira,

I’m marking your latest draft as complete. You are responsible for sending the first nine chapters to Amilyn from here. 

Don’t forget that you still have nine more chapters to write and sticking to a regular schedule is crucial for ensuring there are no interruptions in your posting timeline. I expect your first draft of Chapter 10 by Sunday evening and no later. 

Kylo

_ Halfway there,  _ she smiled. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote part of this chapter on June 9th, and after seeing on Twitter that it was the anniversary of the @reylo_prompts account and they were challenging their followers to write about 69, I had to include it! 
> 
> I loved hearing your guesses for the Halloween costumes. So far, no one guessed the exact costumes yet though. A hint: at one point a couple of months ago I teased a mood board on my twitter that included pics from the holidays I'll feature in the fic and the Adam and Daisy pics I used are very similar to their costume. Find me @greywilde27 if you want a spoiler! 
> 
> The next chapter will probably be up this week, this one took a bit longer as I added an extra scene last minute that I realized I'd left out. My posting may be a bit sporadic over the next few weeks as I get used to posting two WIPs at a time, and with the return to the school year schedule. I'll let you know for sure what days to expect updates once I get everything figured out! 
> 
> Keep an eye out later this week for my movie exchange fic to go live! I've already updated the first chapter to the collection and I believe it will be revealed on Thursday, I'm very excited about it!
> 
> Thanks for all the support, I know I say that in every chapter but it's the least I can do for how welcomed I've felt into the community and the love you've shown my first story <3


	17. And All That Jazz...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey's story gets one step closer to being published, the group meets Rose's mystery ginger, and Kylo and Kira are slightly less snarky with each other...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the support and comments and kudos! I truly appreciate every single one and I love hearing what you think!

**To: Rey Jackson <** **reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net** **>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**Subject: FANTASTIC**

Rey! 

Darling, I am floored! I read through all nine chapters in one sitting and you have done a wonderful job, and I am so proud of how far you have come as a writer in the short time that I have known you. I’ve got a feeling that the sex scene after Violet and Ryder’s epic forest battle will be wildly popular with our readers. 

Honestly, I would not change a thing. However, I may need you to send me your next chapter right away after that cliffhanger at the end of chapter nine! I’m completely hooked. 

I’ve already passed along your story to Jannah and she can’t wait to work with you as well. I’m sure that she’ll be getting in touch with you soon. 

Leia told me about you and Ben a few weeks ago, and it was hard not to confess that I already knew you. 

It’s your decision on whether or not you tell him, my dear. I will say that Ben’s bark is worse than his bite as I’m sure you are finding out. I love him dearly but he can have strong opinions. I have no doubts that he will be supportive of your writing. Until you are ready to tell Ben (or Leia, for that matter), your secret is always safe with me. 

I’m delighted that you loved the mashed potatoes, it was my grandmother’s recipe and is one of my comfort foods as well :) 

Enjoy your week! 

Amilyn

Rey couldn’t help but grin at Amilyn’s praise, and that she was anxious to read the rest. She quickly replied to let her know as much.

**To: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**From: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**Subject: Re: FANTASTIC**

Amilyn,

Thank you so much for your kind words and your excitement for my story! I feel like I’ve grown tremendously over the past couple of months. Even if I have to admit that Kylo is a big part of that when he’s not being…Kylo. 

I will send you a copy of chapter ten, but I'm sure that you’ll also want eleven as well…at least the way I have it outlined. I didn’t want to make the resolution of that scene too easy for the readers, and the makeup sex that will follow will be worth it.

I’ll keep an eye out for a message from Jannah. I’m looking forward to seeing the art she creates! 

Of course, I should have known Leia would've told you. Ben is certainly set in his ways on some things, but I did convert him to loving food trucks so perhaps I can convert him to loving romance novels too? 

Thank you again, and I hope you have a wonderful week as well. 

Rey

She had spent Friday morning catching up on emails and reading through files for her to proofread. Ben had disappeared into his office shortly after arriving and she hadn’t seen him since then. Occasionally she would glance over and catch the outline of his tall frame moving around the room through the frosted glass as he undoubtedly worked through another series of edits. 

Feeling her phone vibrate from her pocket, she pulled out the device and read the first message that flashed across the screen with a grin. 

**Jannah: GIRL. Your story is amazing. I just finished reading the chapters Amilyn sent me. The parts I’ve already read were fantastic, but seeing how it has all come together? I’m loving it even more!**

_ Rey: Amilyn just emailed me that she’d sent the chapters to you and that I should hear from you today! I’m so glad you liked it!  _

Jannah sent a few images a couple of moments later and Rey’s jaw dropped. Two were rough sketches of scenes she instantly recognized from her writing, and the third was a collage of stock images that told the overall theme of her story.

**Jannah: A little teaser of what I’ve played around with so far…**

_ Rey: Holy shit, these are amazing. I almost feel like crying _

**Jannah: Don’t do that! I’m glad you approve! I’ll send more updates to your P &P account as I work on them.**

_ Rey: I can’t wait to see them, what you’ve done so far is incredible. Tsym! _

**Jannah: You’re so welcome, and thank you!**

_ Rey: You’re welcome :) I’m so glad we get to work together on this.  _

**Jannah: Me too! We’ll do drinks after work the next time I’m able to steal you away from that man of yours.**

_ Rey: Today? I’m going back to my place tonight.  _

**Jannah: Perfect! We’ll hit Naboo after work.**

_ Rey: You read my mind.  _

*

Rey crowded next to Kaydel in their small apartment bathroom as both girls applied makeup while they got ready for their usual Friday night out on the town. Jess had already finished her look, and Rose would be joining them there.

“Rose mentioned last night that she was going to try and bring Armie this time,” Kaydel told Rey excitedly as they got ready. 

“The mystery ginger?” Rey clarified. 

“The mystery ginger,” Kaydel confirmed. “You really should bring Ben along sometime too.” 

Rey swiped a couple of coats of mascara on her lashes. “It’s not for lack of asking, he’s just not very social,” she replied with a shrug, putting the wand back in the tube and returning it to her makeup bag.

“He’d probably show up if he knew how hot you look when you’re performing karaoke,” Kaydel smirked, before turning to the side and spritzing her face with setting spray. 

“If he finds out about that, I’m going to know who told him,” Rey threatened with a smirk of her own.

Truthfully, she didn’t care either way if Ben witnessed her karaoke attempts. The chances of getting him to come to The SoundMound were probably lower than winning the lottery.

They arrived at their usual first stop of the night, Oga’s, to find Finn, Poe, Rose, and an unfamiliar redhead waiting for them at a large round table near the back. Rose excitedly stood as she saw the rest of the group approach and gestured with her hand to the man sitting beside her. 

“Guys, this is Armie. Armie, my roommates: Rey, Kaydel, and Jess,” Rose introduced them.

“It's nice to meet you all,” Armie politely inclined his head. 

Rey immediately smiled at the familiar accent. “You’re from England?”

“London,” Armie confirmed. “You?” 

“A mix of places I suppose, though most recently Jakku,” Rey explained, noting Armie’s brief frown at the mention of the rundown town. “I’ve been in New York City for a little over four years now.”

“Nearly ten for me, though I visit once or twice a year to see family,” he explained.

“So Armie,” Kaydel jumped in “What is it that you do?”

Rey gave her friend a thankful look for derailing the conversation from the direction that it was potentially heading. 

“I’m an editor at the Coruscant Times,” he informed them.

“That’s awesome,” Kaydel replied. “Jess and I work for Rebel Magazine.”

Rey drifted away from their conversation and walked over to Finn and Poe. “Can you watch my purse? I need a drink.” 

Finn nodded in understanding and patted the stool next to him. Rey set her coat and purse down, grabbing her credit card and ID from her wallet and disappearing into the crowd surrounding the bar. 

She ordered a strong bourbon-based drink, aptly named Jet Fuel, and returned to the table. Kaydel and Jess were still discussing their job with Armie as the others looked on in amusement.

Grabbing her phone from her purse, she snapped a candid picture of the group and sent it off in a text to Ben. 

_ Rey: You’re missing out on this fun crowd. We finally got Rose to bring her mystery boyfriend. _

Ben replied immediately. 

**Ben: Holy shit, that redhead is Hux.**

_ Rey: Former first order coworker Hux? Rose calls him Armie _

**Ben: Hux is his last name, his first name is Armitage, and he’s always hated it.**

_ Rey: Well, apparently not as much as he said. _

**Ben: Apparently.**

_ Rey: You should come and surprise your friend. _

He didn’t reply for several minutes. Then finally her phone buzzed again.

**Ben: I’ll be there in thirty.**

****

Ben’s Friday evening plans consisted of drinking whiskey, reading, and waiting to see if Rey would entertain him with any drunk texts while she was out with her friends.

He’d been in the middle of the first two when his phone buzzed. Except Rey wasn’t drunk texting, and the picture she’d sent had caused him to almost drop his glass.

When Rey had suggested he join them, he’d started to text back a polite refusal. She had invited him to join them that evening, as well as a few other evenings in the past, and he’d always declined - loud groups, and crowded bars and clubs, were two things that Ben Solo could live without.

It had been the slight guilt he’d felt over declining Rey’s invitation for the fourth time, combined with the amusement of catching Hux off guard that had him reluctantly changing his mind. Before he could talk himself out of it, he’d texted Rey back to let her know he’d be there in a half an hour. 

The bar was as packed as he expected for a Friday night, and he found himself having to weave through several tightly packed groups of college students to get past the first set of tables. Using his height to his advantage, he finally spotted Hux sitting at a round table with Rey and her friends.

“Hux!” He called as he approached the table. His red-haired friend glanced at him in surprise.

“Ben, what are you doing here?” Hux stood to greet him. Ben walked over and shook the other man’s hand, giving him a pat on the back.

“Ben knows Armie?” Rose exclaimed before he could answer Hux.

“How do you know Ben?” Hux turned to Rose curiously.

“Ben’s Rey’s boyfriend,” Rose answered looking between Hux, Ben, and Rey.

“I thought Ben wasn’t coming tonight?” Kaydel asked as she joined the conversation

“I wasn't,” Ben confirmed. “Until Rey sent me a picture and I recognized Hux in the background and we made the connection that Rose’s mystery ginger was my good friend.”

“And then I told him to surprise you,” he heard Rey explain to Hux before turning back to him. “Though now that I realize it, I should be annoyed that it took Hux coming out with the group to get  _ you _ to come out with the group.” 

“Not a good look, dude,” Jess agreed. 

Ben gave an exasperated sigh. “If it makes all of you less annoyed, I was guilty that I said no earlier.” 

“You’re forgiven,” Rey smiled. “I was mostly teasing you anyway.”

He walked closer to where she sat on a tall barstool and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as she leaned back against his chest. “I’m still sorry that I kept turning your invitations down, I’ll try to work on being a part of your friend’s lives too,” he murmured into her hair.

The look on her face when she turned to face him made coming to surprise Hux totally worth it.

They’d stayed at Oga’s for another hour, and Ben was surprised at how much he enjoyed himself. He ended up talking mostly with Poe of all people. Even though they both worked for Resistance, Poe’s department was two floors above his and they rarely crossed paths. 

“We’re heading to The SoundMound!” Jess called out as she, Kaydel, Rose, and Hux all began to stand up from their respective seats. 

“Ben, you have to come with us,” Kaydel insisted. 

“Yes! You absolutely should,” Poe chimed in. “I bribe Rey with drinks to sing a duet with me every week.”

“She’s good too, you’ll miss out if you don’t come,” Finn added.

Rey had leaned forward and put her head against the table at this point. He almost felt bad for her if he hadn’t been so amused by the conversation taking place at the moment.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I won’t come if you don’t want me to.” 

She sat up and turned to look at him, her face still flushed. “No, I’d love for you to come.”

“Alright,” Ben agreed. His curiosity about Rey’s karaoke prowess ruled out any hesitation he had over going to a karaoke bar. 

“I need to buy a lottery ticket,” Rey mumbled. 

“Why is that?” Ben asked with a chuckle as he helped her back into her coat. 

His chuckle turned into full-blown laughter when she told him about her conversation with Kaydel in their bathroom while getting ready earlier that evening.

Poe was true to his word, and after an hour of listening to several solo singers and a few groups perform random songs at various levels of competency, he’d finally gotten Rey to cave and join him up on stage.

Ben wasn’t sure what to expect, but when Poe and Rey began to sing “You’re All I Need To Get By”, it wasn’t anything like he imagined.

Her voice was pure, sweet almost, and he thought it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard. She avoided looking in the direction of their table the entire time, keeping her eyes on Poe who gave her goofy smiles of encouragement as they moved in time with the upbeat song. 

After they finished, he joined Kaydel and Rose and the rest of the audience in cheering and whistling for their performance.

****

“I can’t believe Kay got me to go up there with her tonight,” Rey groaned as she walked into Ben’s apartment with him later that evening.

“I can’t believe you two tackled a Broadway song with that much alcohol in your system,” Ben laughed, helping Rey step out of her heels and gathering her into his arms. 

“All That Jazz is a classic,” she protested. “You _ totally _ thought it was hot.”

Ben set her on the bed and proceeded to start unbuttoning his shirt. “I did,” he grinned at her.

Rey laid back against the pillows, too tired to start removing her clothes. “That’s why we love The SoundMound though, you can get up and sing any genre of music and people love it,” she yawned. “There was a club we used to go to in college and if you even dared to sing anything outside of the same twenty overdone songs you’d practically get booed off the stage.” She yawned again. “Anyway, it's NYC, home of Broadway. Showtunes at Karaoke bars should be a fucking given.” 

“I wasn’t aware this was such a passionate topic of yours.” Ben was now down to only his boxer briefs. 

Rey shrugged. “Someone has to die on that hill,” she teased. Taking a deep breath and pushing herself into an upright position again, she started stripping off her outfit until she was just in her underwear. Grabbing the pile of clothes she headed into the bathroom and dropped them in the hamper just outside his closet.

Walking over to the long counter with the double sink, she grabbed the small bottle of her face wash and started running the other sink before splashing herself with water and then using a small dollop of the foaming wash to remove her makeup. 

Ben came in when she was drying off her face, and they proceeded to brush their teeth side by side.

*

Saturday evening found Rey back at the apartment in her usual spot, laptop resting on her thighs, wine glass on the table beside her, and words flowing from her fingers to the keys. 

Rey had been plotting ideas in her head for how she wanted the next part of her story to go. She’d already outlined a few things, but it hadn’t taken shape until she started to write. Violet and Ryder’s relationship had been developing quickly over the last couple of chapters. He’d been revealed in chapter five as the estranged son of her group’s leader, and she’d lost her virginity to him when a laser sword battle in the forest went from anger to passion. 

The sixth and seventh chapters had dealt with the aftermath and more adventure as their rival groups tried to track one another across space. The eighth found the two beginning to reach a common ground as Ryder seemed to turn against his own leader to save Violet’s life when she’d been captured by one of his fellow combatants. 

The ninth chapter had started hopeful, they had made love again, and Violet had made a passionate plea to convince Ryder to come back with her and fight for their side. She had been stunned but thrilled when he had agreed. They’d snuck into the cargo bay only for Ryder to have a last-minute change of heart. It had ended with Ryder watching Violet’s small fighter jet fade into the distance with regret on his face.

She started off chapter ten from Violet’s perspective, writing about the anger and betrayal she felt. Rey wanted to focus on building the angst and making her readers question what Ryder’s true intentions were. Near the end of the chapter, however, she switched to Ryder’s voice and a different side of the story came to light. It would end on another cliffhanger with Ryder reaching out to a mysterious woman and a lot of speculation over what was to come next.

Four thousand and thirty-six words later, she saved the first draft. Scanning through for obvious errors, Rey corrected a few odd placed commas and accidentally misspelled words before saving the file. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 10, Draft 1**

Kylo, 

Attached is the first draft of Ch. 10, I’m going to work on 11 this week as well since I believe that they are best read together, but too long to combine into one. If you think ending on a cliff hanger twice in a row isn’t the best idea, I’m open to seeing how you think I should split things, especially since you’ve seen the full outline and know where chapter 11 will be heading. 

Don’t get too smug that I asked for your opinion on something. 

Kira

****

Ben found himself in his office catching up on Passion and Prose messages. He was currently working with two other authors besides Kira; Bazine Netal had been on the site for over two years now and was one of the most popular authors, she tended towards BDSM heavy fics and had a darker tone to her writing. The other was a somewhat newer author, Cara Dune, currently nearing completion on her second fic, featuring a romance between rival two bounty hunters going after the same bad guy. 

He had just finished sending back Bazine’s latest chapter with another round of edits when he noticed the new message at the top of his inbox from Kira with a new draft of her next chapter. Her accompanying message was surprisingly polite, save for the last line, and she genuinely seemed to want his opinion.

Downloading the attached file, he leaned back into his desk chair and began to read.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 10, Draft 1 Thoughts**

Kira, 

I’m not sending back edits yet because I wanted to write to you first and discuss the question from your previous message before we went any further. I’ve read your first draft of chapter ten and I see how you are building up to the twist that you have planned for chapter 11, While I don’t usually agree with back to back cliffhangers, I believe that it will work here. 

If possible, I’d like to see chapter 11 as soon as you can send it and I will read them together as you suggest. 

Though I will undoubtedly lose many nights of sleep with the time it will take to edit two of your chapters at once, I’ll find a way to manage. 

Kylo

Shutting off his computer for the night, he retired to his bedroom. Stripping his clothes off as he entered the bathroom, he threw them in the laundry hamper and stepped into the shower.

****

Rey had stayed up entirely too late writing, anxious to write the scene that contained the biggest plot twist of her story. She’d been playing out the scene in her head for weeks, and the words came easily as she typed at the keys on her laptop. 

She continued writing, focusing on Ryder’s indecision and Violet’s angst from their respective points of view, as she built up an emotional climax for her readers. Later, she showed Ryder surrendering to the Revolution, and their leader's shocking reveal that he’d been their spy for several years. In the final scene, an emotional Violet confronted Ryder, leading to a long and passionate love scene.

It was  _ completely _ a coincidence that it featured a certain number named position she’d tried with Ben earlier in the week.

At least that’s what she told herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I have a self-promo alert (because I'm super proud of it!) The fic I wrote for the Reylo Writers & Readers movie exchange is live! I've posted two of the (planned) eight chapters already. It's a modern AU based on the movie Notting Hill, so if you love rom-coms, go check it out here: [Love In Langley](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25968388/chapters/63128248) \- I'd love to know what you think! Like this fic, it's completely written and will be updating 1-2x a week. 
> 
> Of course, Rose's mystery ginger was Hux. Obviously. Haha! I also had to do one last Friday night out at Oga's (jet fuel is another drink from the cantina at the Disney parks!) and include Ben this time. The two songs I picked for Rey to do are inspired by the versions from Glee. 
> 
> Bazine and Cara are just cameo roles and this is the only time they’ll be mentioned - I wanted to include that Ben also helped edited for other authors on the site too and decided to use a couple of SW characters and the type of fic that I thought they may write 😉
> 
> Next chapter will be up soon, hopefully later this week if I can swing it! Definitely by this time next week though. We are getting closer to that big reveal though, I don’t want to give too many hints as to when it will happen - but it is getting closer!


	18. If You Can't Be A Writer, Be A Writing Supporter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter is posted, a party is thrown, and more smut happens. All good things ;-)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra long chapter for my amazing readers! WFM passed 20k hits after my last update and I’m so thankful for all of you who have taken the time to give my writing a chance 😍
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Good morning,” Ben stepped from his office as Rey arrived at her desk. “How was your commute?”

“The usual,” Rey replied as he leaned in to give her a quick kiss. “How about you?”

“The usual,” he repeated her answer with a smirk. “Though I have to admit, it's better when I have you there to walk with me.”

“Tomorrow,” she reminded him.

“Fair enough.” He gave her another kiss. “Go clock in, sweetheart.”

“So bossy,” She joked as he disappeared back into his office.

Taking her coat off and draping it across the back of the chair, she sat down and logged into her computer. As the screen loaded, she pulled her phone from her bag and opened the email that had arrived as she was walking into the office. 

**To: Rey Jackson <reyofsunshine98@coruscant.net>**

**From: Amilyn Holdo <amilyn.holdo@passionandprose.com>**

**Subject: Happy Publishing Day!**

Rey,

I wanted to send you a quick note and congratulate you on posting your first chapter to the site today! You’ve worked so hard and I’m sure that you are anxious to see the feedback. Don’t refresh the comments too much, my dear!

I’ll be sending an email to everyone later, but I’m heading off to Europe for several weeks in a couple of days. You can still reach me by e-mail, but I may not respond at the usual times, of course.

Don’t forget to send me the next couple of chapters when you’ve finished editing them with Kylo. I’m dying to know how that cliffhanger resolves!

Take care and enjoy your week and whatever fun plans you may have for Halloween.

Amilyn

Sending back a short note in response, she set her phone aside and turned her attention to her work computer and the several bolded items on her to-do list for the day. Opening the first file, she slipped her AirPods in her ears and listened to one of her favorite playlists while she got to work proofreading for another editor on the floor. 

**Ben: You’re going to love my lunch idea today**

Rey glanced down at her phone to see a text from Ben later that morning. Smiling, she typed a reply.

_Rey: Go on…_

**Ben: The Indian Express, I checked the app and it's over on the east side of the park today.**

_Rey: Yes! I’m in! I’ve been craving TIE forever._

**Ben: I figured, you talked about their butter chicken bowl for days after the last time we went**

He wasn’t lying. 

Rey had considered the tender chicken smothered in the spicy tomato cream sauce served over perfectly cooked Basmati rice to be a religious experience. 

_Rey: I recall that you were impressed with your lamb meatball curry as well, Mr. Solo_

**Ben: I can neither confirm, nor deny, said accusation**

_Rey: Uh-huh. Your secret is safe with me._

Ben replied with the eye roll emoji, followed by a single red heart. She sent the two pink heart emoji in response and put her phone back in her purse, returning to the chapter she was proofreading her computer screen.

****

He _should_ have been focusing on work - not glancing down to refresh his phone every ten minutes, but that is what Ben Solo found himself doing all afternoon. Since ten that morning, if he was being honest with himself.

Not once in the three years that he’d been working for Passion and Prose had he cared about the feedback on _any_ of the stories he edited. Many weren’t worth a second look once they were ready to post, and he found the comment section insufferable. While the occasional well-worded constructive criticism would show up, the vast majority were, in his opinion, over the top responses to slightly more than mediocre stories.

The reason why he found himself suddenly interested in how Kira’s first chapter would be received was beyond him. Ben convinced himself that he was only checking for critical comments to validate his opinion that her writing wasn’t ready to publish on the site.

It, _one hundred percent_ , was not because he was proud of how far she’d come and that he wanted to see how many people enjoyed her story.

“Ben?” Rey popped her head into his office. “The last email you sent over didn’t have the file attached.”

He shoved his phone in the top drawer of his desk and glanced at the desktop screen. Finding the email in his outbox, he gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry, I’ve been multitasking a lot today.”

Rey briefly rolled her eyes. “I noticed, the constant looking at your phone while we were on our lunch break was kind of a giveaway.”

“I apologize for that,” he replied with a guilty expression and motioned for her to come closer. Rey padded around to his side of the desk and he pulled her into his arms, leaning her against the arm of his chair.

“You’re forgiven, work has been busy lately,” Rey said as she kissed the side of his forehead.

“I’ll send the file over now, and I’ll double-check that it is attached this time,” he assured her as she stood back up and headed towards the door of his office.

Rey flashed him one of her brilliant smiles. “Thanks, Ben!”

When she was back at her desk, he pulled his phone from his desk drawer. When he’d last checked, Kira’s story had already received 35 likes and seven comments, a perfectly respectable amount for three hours after posting. The comments were all variations of the cliche “Love this so far! I can’t wait to see where this is going, adding to my faves!” that most readers left on the first chapter. 

There had been 11 more likes and two more comments added. One was similar to the first seven, while the other focused on the theme and expressed excitement for her similarities to the popular Galaxy Wars franchise.

Ben shut his phone back off and put it in his pocket.

 _You’re being ridiculous_ , he scolded himself.

****

**Kaydel: So…how many times have you refreshed your story on P &P today? Be honest!**

**Jess: We’ve been telling everyone in the office to read it and comment!**

**Rose: I haven’t gotten a chance yet, work is chaotic today. I’m dying to know what people think!**

**Jess: 15 positive comments and over 60 likes when I checked a little bit ago :)**

**Rose: What?! That’s awesome! Didn’t it post less than four hours ago?**

**Kaydel: Ooh it's up to 17 comments and 73 likes now!**

**Jess: I like how we’re all talking about Rey’s story and she’s not even responding to us.**

**Kaydel: She’s probably too busy making out with her boyfriend in his office…**

**Rose: I’m pretty sure his office walls are glass, Kaydel.**

**Kaydel: Supply closet then?**

**Jess: She’s going to love coming into this chat later.**

**Rose: I need to get back to work, Rey when you see this - we’re so proud of you babe! I’ll be stalking your comment section tonight!**

**Jess: See you tonight, Rose.**

**Kaydel: Yep! Have a good rest of the day at work!**

**Rose: <3 <3 <3**

_Rey: Sorry I just saw the notifications!_

Rey had kept herself busy all day with work and lunch with Ben, and had avoided all temptation to check the reaction to her story. She had wanted to, but when ten that morning had rolled around she couldn’t bring herself to look.

**Kaydel: There she is! So….**

_Rey: I wasn’t making out with Ben in either his glass office OR a supply closet, tyvm, annnnd I haven’t looked._

**Jess: You haven’t looked? Kaydel and I have been refreshing non-stop. How is it not driving you crazy?!**

**Kaydel: It’s all good so far, Rey, it’ll make you smile - Jess and I were bragging around the office about the sweet comments you were getting like you’re our kid and you came home with some fancy award from school.**

**Jess: Can confirm. I’m pretty sure that our coworkers think that we’re crazy.**

**Kaydel: But we’ve told everyone to read it!**

_Rey: I feel like I have my own cheerleading team. You guys are too much. Thank you._

_Rey: I’ll take a peek soon._

**Jess: You better!**

**Kaydel: Are you home tonight, or are you going to Mr. I have a better shower and a view of Central Park’s place?**

_Rey: Going home with Ben._

**Jess: You and Rose are always ditching us now.**

**Jess: I’m mostly teasing.**

**Kaydel: Tell Ben we still own your Friday evenings.**

**Kaydel: Unless he wants to come again, maybe I’ll get him to sing Karaoke next time!**

_Rey: Kaydel. Not going to happen._

**Jess: I dunno, Rey, his speaking voice is pretty hot…who knows what else he can do with that mouth of his.**

**Kaydel: Oh, I’m pretty sure she knows…**

_Rey: Kaydel!_

**Jess: OMG Kay.**

**Kaydel: Where’s the lie?**

_Rey: Alright, seriously. I need to get back to work. I’ll see you horny bitches tomorrow night._

**Jess: Bye Rey!**

**Kaydel: Have fun tonight ;-)**

Rey knew that her friends were ridiculous, but that is exactly why she loved them. The mental image of Jess and Kaydel parading all over the Rebel Magazine office showing off her story made her smile. 

Toward the end of her day, Rey finally gave into temptation and pulled up the site. A link to her story sat at the top of the front page where it was featured as the new release of the day. Impatiently, she scrolled to the bottom and gasped, 85 likes and 26 comments. She counted quickly in her head, the story had been up for six hours at that point.

Clicking on the link, she began to read through the responses.

**BlueButterfly8: I’m so excited about this! Subscribing now :)**

**WitchStoryNext: Completely hooked after this first chapter, I can’t wait to see where you take this.**

**MusicLover92: This is going to be amazing! Adding to bookmarks!**

**GalaxyGrl: Finally! More stories set in space! I’m the biggest fan of Star Battles and I’m getting major vibes. Can’t wait to read more!**

**RubyMorning: Here for the enemies to lovers!**

**TheRebelChick: What a great start so far! I am totally a Violet stan now. Update soon, pls!**

The rest of the comments were similarly written, and the encouragement of having such a positive reaction to her first chapter made her grin.

“What’s made you so happy?” Ben asked, stepping out of his office and approaching her desk.

Rey closed the browser and put her phone in her lap. “Text convo with the roommates, the usual Jess and Kaydel commentary.”

He gave her a half nod of understanding. “Are you ready to clock out and head back to my place?”

“Yes please,” she grinned. “I haven’t had any new work to do for the last thirty minutes, and it's been crawling by.”

“I’ll be sure to send you over extra chapters to proofread tomorrow then,” Ben teased her. 

Rey made a face as she closed out for the day before gathering her things. She stood up, slid her chair under her desk, and turned to face Ben with a smile. “Ready?” 

“Ready.”

*

Rey slipped into the skin-tight leather pants she’d borrowed from Jess and an off the shoulder black top she’d bought at a thrift store. A belt with a gold buckle and red pumps completed her outfit. She attempted to style her hair into a curled bouffant and applied more makeup than she typically wore. 

Ben wasn’t a fan of wearing a costume, let alone a couple's costume, at first. Rey eventually got him to agree that if she put together an idea from an outfit he already owned, that he would wear it. She didn’t have to look far into his wardrobe until she found inspiration from a simple pair of black pants and a black fitted t-shirt.

“I’m going to go up in flames if Poe and Finn have any candles in their apartment,” he grumbled once Rey finished applying a ridiculous amount of product to achieve his character’s trademark hairstyle. 

“You look hot,” Rey rolled her eyes and laughed at the glare he gave her in response. “I swear I didn’t mean literally.”

Ben put his head into his hands causing Rey to push his arms out of the way before he could mess up his hair. 

Poe and Finn lived in an industrial loft in Midtown Manhattan located over a row of various shops and restaurants. It was the perfect space for gatherings and Rey was looking forward to what they had come up with. Last year’s Halloween party had been a huge success; plenty of good food and drinks, sexy costumes, and a horror movie marathon that had lasted into the early morning hours. 

“You’re here!” Poe greeted them enthusiastically at the door. 

“Rey! You look so sexy,” Finn complimented. “Danny and Sandy, nice choice. You do know that Kaydel is going to demand a Grease karaoke performance, right?”

“Kaydel is going to be disappointed then,” Ben deadpanned. 

Rey rolled her eyes with a laugh. “Thanks! You guys look fantastic too, I’m a big fan of Vampire Poe and Franken Finn. Who else is here already?”

“A few of Finn’s work friends, a handful from my department at Resistance, and two other couples we hang out with regularly. Jess and Kaydel texted me about ten minutes ago that they are on their way, I’m assuming Rose and Armie will be here soon and they’re bringing one of Armie’s former coworkers, Phasma? You know her right, Ben?” Poe turned towards the taller man.

Ben nodded in response.

Rey and Ben met the rest of the guests as Finn and Poe led them into the main area of the loft. Rey had recognized the other two Resistance employees from Poe’s department immediately, and a few of the others she vaguely remembered from past parties that Poe and Finn had hosted.

The entire space had been decorated for the occasion with various spooky Halloween themed decorations. Poe and Finn had blacked out their windows and had a fog machine going in one corner. Most of the furniture was pushed against the walls leaving a large open space in the middle for dancing. A makeshift bar area was off to one side, along with a long table filled with various foods.

“You guys, this looks incredible! You really went all out this year,” Rey complimented as she glanced around the room.

“Well after last year, we figured we’d go even bigger,” Poe boasted. “Can I get either of you a drink?”

“Whiskey on the rocks?” Ben asked.

“Sure thing, buddy,” Poe replied. “Rey?”

“Surprise me!” She grinned knowing that Poe likely had invented some ridiculous alcohol-filled punch for the occasion.

Her assumption was correct when he returned with their drinks and presented her with a clear cup filled with a blood-red concoction, topped with a gauzy white foam.

Rey was already two cups of punch in by the time the rest of her roommates arrived. Kaydel and Jess dressed as Glinda and Elphaba from a version of Wicked where the costume department had faced a _serious_ fabric shortage. Rose rocked a black bodysuit with cat ears, a tail, and a painted face, while Hux wore a pair of dress pants and a t-shirt that read _This is my I hate costumes, costume_ on it. 

“It’s the closest thing to a costume that he’d agree to wear,” Rose rolled her eyes as Rey laughed.

“Rey, this is my former coworker and good friend Gwen Phasma.” Ben introduced her to the statuesque blonde dressed as a Greek goddess.

“It's so nice to meet you!” Rey grinned as she held out her hand. “Ben’s told me so much about you.”

“I’m glad to finally meet you as well,” Phasma replied, shaking her hand. “Ben pretty much only talks about you these days so I feel like I already know you.”

“I don’t _only_ talk about her,” Ben sighed.

“Uh-huh,” Phasma teased, giving Rey a wink.

A few more guests showed up to round out the crowd and the party was in full swing. Finn put on a playlist of upbeat music, and many of the couples were making use of the dance floor. Rey spent most of the night dancing with her friends, while Ben and Hux sat off to the side observing the crowd.

“Our boyfriends are boring,” Rose shouted over the music to Rey. They were both beyond tipsy on Poe’s mystery punch.

“Tell me about it,” Rey rolled her eyes. “I’m about to drag Ben out here.”

****

Ben had to admit that he was having a better time at Poe and Finn’s Halloween party than he had anticipated. Mostly due to the unlimited whiskey and Hux’s company.

He watched as Rey danced with her friends, admiring how the outfit that she wore hugged her every curve. She looked incredibly stunning that evening, and he was beginning to regret wearing his tightest black pants.

“I'm making you dance, no more hiding off to the side - that’s boring.” 

Rey approached the spot where he sat talking with Hux, her hand outstretched and the expression on her face saying that she wasn’t taking no for an answer. 

Thankfully, the next song that came on was a ballad. Ben pulled Rey into his arms, as they swayed in time with the music.

“You look so beautiful tonight,” He whispered into her ear as he bent down, kissing the side of her forehead.

“You only like me for my leather pants,” Rey giggled. “But thank you, you look like someone I want to fuck later.”

Ben chucked. “Good, I was hoping that would be on the agenda.”

Kaydel stumbled over to them and grabbed onto Rey’s arm with a big grin on her face. 

“You alright there, Kay?” Rey laughed as her friend slightly wobbled on her heels. 

“Totally fine, maybe should’ve reconsidered wearing these all night,” Kaydel replied, her words slurring together. “Imma take ‘em off.”

They watched as Kaydel shrunk several inches as she kicked the sparkling silver platform stilettos to the side of the room. 

“Better?” Rey asked. 

“Much,” Kaydel groaned. “Anyway, I came over here to ask about your weekend plans. When are you at Maz’s and when are you working on your pa-oetry -” Her eyes widened as she caught her error at the last second. 

“Poetry?” Ben asked curiously. “I didn’t know you wrote poetry, sweetheart.”

“Oh she doesn’t usually, but she’s the best writer out of our apartment and we’re putting together a hilarious poem for Jess’s birthday next week,” Kayel explained. 

As it so happened, Jess _did_ have a birthday the following week but until that moment there was no poem planned for it. 

Rey let out a sigh that turned into a soft chuckle. “We can work on the poem tomorrow morning if you’d like to come to Maz’s with me before my shift starts - say 9:30 am? I work at 11, so that should give us enough time to finish up.”

Kaydel nodded with a smile. “Perfect. Anyway, I’ll let you two get back to dancing! See you tomorrow!” 

Ben regarded her curiously once Kaydel had flitted off across the dance floor again. “You know I’m going to want to see this poem, right?” 

Rey looked at him as her eyes widened a bit. “It’ll probably be some limerick of horrible inside jokes, I’m warning you now.”

He wraps her into his arms.“So, are we staying for the movie marathon, or do I get to take you home soon and get you naked?” He’s pressing his pelvis against hers, his cock already beginning to harden.

“Option B,” Rey moaned, grinding against him. “Definitely.”

Ben scooped Rey into his arms once they got off the elevator at his floor. Her squeals of protest echoing through the hallway as he carried her towards his apartment door.

“Put me down!” She hissed, laughing as he tried to balance holding her while digging his key out of his pocket. He managed to get a hold of his key ring while maintaining his grip underneath her thighs, entering it into the lock and turning the knob open.

Carrying her over the threshold, he tossed his keys towards the small side table just inside the room and kicked the door shut behind him, turning briefly to lock the deadbolt again. Rey dropped the coat and purse she was still holding on the floor as Ben carried her out of the room. 

“Where were we?” He growled, refusing to put her down until they’d made their way into his bedroom.

Gently laying Rey on his bed, he turned on the lamp and stared down at her. Her face was flushed, makeup slightly smeared, and her hair was an absolute mess. She was the most gorgeous thing that he had ever seen and she was all his.

“Are you just going to stare?” Rey questioned with a smirk.

“I’m considering that option,” He replied teasingly.

Carefully he removed the bright red heeled pumps she had worn, rubbing his thumb along the instep of each foot as he did. Rey sat up and pulled her top over her head, revealing a satin strapless black bra, the structured cups gave her more cleavage than he’d ever remembered her having. His hands flew to her breasts, tracing along the soft skin that spilled slightly over the top of the cups.

She began to shimmy out of her pants, revealing an impossibly tiny scrap of black lace.

“Your turn,” She told him, pulling up onto her knees and reaching for the hem of his black t-shirt.

“So impatient,” He laughed as she ripped the cotton material over his head in one motion, followed next by removing his belt and finally unbuttoning his pants and pushing them down his legs along with his boxer briefs.

The expression in her eyes was feral. He hadn’t fully removed his pants and briefs before she had leaned forward and taken him in her mouth. Her tongue eagerly swirling around the head of his cock. She sucked as much of his length as she could into the back of her throat. Bracing her weight with one hand, she took the other and wrapped it around the base of his dick and pumped slowly in time with the movement of her mouth.

Popping off briefly, she looked up at him with a lascivious grin. “Fuck my face.”

He obliged without hesitation, gently cradling his hand at the back of her head and thrusting at the pace she set. Her throaty moans began vibrating around his cock as she alternated between stroking the base and playing with his balls.

“ _Shit_ , Rey, Sweetheart, I won’t last long if we keep this up,” Ben warned her. He’d been hard ever since they left Poe and Finn’s party, and Rey’s attention in the back of their Uber ride home hadn’t helped.

She picked up the pace began to suck with even more vigor. “I need you to come for me, Ben.” she begged.

Her pleading words pushed him over, the pressure building quickly as he came down her throat with a loud shout.

****

Stars swam in Rey’s vision as she tightly gripped the duvet on top of Ben’s king-sized bed. His large hands were holding her thighs as he attacked her clit with his tongue. Eagerly, she rolled her hips toward him, desperate for more contact. He chuckled against her, teasing her slowly as she begged. “Ben, I need more. _Please._ ”

“Patience, sweetheart,” she heard him reply, the sound of his voice vibrating deliciously against her inner thigh.

Her back arched off the bed as he inserted his finger into her pussy, sliding easily through the wetness gathered there. A second finger joined a moment later. He began to pump them in and out, gradually increasing the speed. Rey felt him curl the two fingers inside against her inner wall, pressing firmly against the spot there. She keened at the sensation, her legs trembling. Ben’s mouth returned to her clit, lapping and sucking in turn.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” she chanted, her words barely more than a breathless prayer.

Rey could feel her climax building as Ben worked her without reprieve. Taking her nipples between her fingers, she began to pinch them softly, chasing after the pleasure that threatened to overtake her.

“Come for me,” he growled.

She screamed as her cunt clenched tightly around him and the sudden burst of her orgasm followed. Ben withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his tongue as he lapped up her release.

“I need you inside of me,” She whispered after they’d laid intertwined together for some time.

Ben rolled onto his side, propping himself on an elbow and looked down at her with a grin. “I think that can be arranged.”

With a squeal, he grabbed her waist, pulling her on top of him. Rey positioned herself over his hips, taking his hard cock and easing it inside her pussy. She lowered herself slowly until he filled her to the hilt, placing her hands on his broad chest before she began to roll her hips in circles.

Ben moved his hands to her hips, grasping her ass as he urged her to lean forward. She complied, moaning as he pulled her close enough to capture one of her nipples in his waiting mouth.

“Oh _shit -_ just like that,” Rey moaned as he sucked firmly at the pointed tip.

He held her tightly as they moved together, her hips bucking up and down over him, taking in every inch of his length. Ben continued to play with her breasts until they were shiny and red from his attention, leaving several purple marks on the soft skin. “These tits are mine,” he claimed as he gently sucked another mark next to her nipple.

“Yours,” Rey replied breathlessly, picking up the pace of her movements. She moved one of her hands to her center, finding her clit. Rubbing the tiny nub in circles, she began to feel the build-up of a second release. “I’m close again.” 

“Can we try something?” he asked.

She nodded and he carefully lifted her off of him. Pulling her gently to the edge of the bed, he sat down with his feet on the floor and then guided her onto his lap facing away from him. As she sank back down on his cock, he wrapped his arm firmly around her hips finding her clit with his fingers while his other hand cupped her breast. Rey braced herself on his lower thighs and began to ride him eagerly.

The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room as the underside of her thighs and ass met the tops of his legs. Ben worked her clit and nipples in time with the movement as he buried his face into her neck, teasing the skin under her ear with his tongue.

“I don’t know how much longer I’ll last,” Rey urged.

“Let it happen. I want you to come first,” Ben encouraged, his words barely a whisper in her ear.

She chased her second climax, exploding in a haze of pleasure and exhaustion. Ben picked up his pace beneath her, moving his hands to her lower waist as he moved in and out of her, following shortly after with a hoarse shout of his own.

Completely spent, he pulled her with him as he flopped onto the bed and cradled her in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone have "a tipsy Kaydel almost spills Rey's secret" on the WFM bingo card? Lol. 
> 
> I was inspired by a picture of Daisy in an off the shoulder black outfit AND the fact that Ben would have a lot of black in his wardrobe to go with Danny and Sandy from ending scenes of Grease. I also used a play off of a quote from the movie as the chapter title ;-) 
> 
> Earlier in the week I posted a one-shot and threw in a reference to Poe's mystery punch that I totally lifted out of this chapter. If you wanted to give that a read, go check it out here: [You Wanna Get Outta Here?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146447)
> 
> Just a heads up...I'm going to be adding a few tags for the next couple of chapters. A couple of these are for kinks that Rey is going to write about in her story - they aren't heavily mentioned (just in the context of an italicized scene out of her story) and will be very easy to skip over if they aren't your thing! I thought I would mention it here though so you aren't surprised by any new tags and explain how they will be used :) I'll give plenty of warning ahead of the chapter too! 
> 
> Thanks again for all the support and feedback! I love hearing what you think so please leave a comment if you'd like! They mean SO much!


	19. Crossed Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo and Kira’s relationship goes on a roller coaster ride as they work together to edit more chapters for her story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the new tags, I explain more in the endnotes if you’d like to skip ahead and read for clarification - though I suspect most of you know what this may entail (and some of you may have seen something like this coming, maybe). Also, the two new kinks I tagged are both in the italicized scene and then mentioned briefly in their email correspondence after. Feel free to skip over if they aren’t your thing!

“I propose a toast to our fabulous author, Rey, on another amazing chapter!” Jess raised her cocktail in the air, joined immediately by Rose and Kaydel with their drinks. Rey sighed and added hers to the group.

Glasses clinked as a cheer from the other three rang out, “To Rey!” 

“You guys are ridiculous,” Rey groaned. “I’ve only posted three chapters so far.”

It had been exactly two weeks since her story had begun posting on Passion and Prose, and her roommates had insisted on after-work drinks at The Prime to celebrate. Her first and second chapters received a decent amount of feedback, but her third had blown up the site. The reaction was unreal and it already had double the comments of the other two chapters after only ten hours. 

“Did I, or did I not tell you that people were going to _die_ over that market scene?” Kaydel asked with a wicked grin.

“The amount of people freaking out in the comments over the oral hate sex is amazing,” Jess added, taking a sip of her drink. 

Rey shrugged. “There was that one comment though.” 

The third chapter had brought her first negative reaction and unfollow from a reader who wasn’t a fan of the dynamic between Ryder and Violet. She’d accused Rey of not giving enough warning and announced that she was removing her fic from her bookmarks.

“Seriously, ignore it. Whoever it was clearly didn’t read your tags carefully enough, or the summary. I don’t know how you could’ve been more clear about the enemies to lovers theme,” Jess said as she rolled her eyes.

“Truth,” Rose agreed. “You also had a dub-con warning on that chapter to be safe, so I don’t know what additional warning she was expecting.”

“You’re right,” Rey sighed.

Kaydel finished off her drink and set her glass on the table. “It’s not someone you want following your story anyway, no loss! Who needs another?” 

Rey turned down the second round of drinks. Chapter twelve was due to Kylo before the end of the day on Friday, and while it was still Wednesday, her plans for the next couple of days meant it would be difficult to write much after that evening. She returned to her apartment, leaving her roommates behind to continue enjoying their happy hour, and took her usual spot in the living room.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 12 Help**

Kylo, 

Don’t get your underwear in a twist - I know that this isn’t a complete chapter.

If it isn’t beneath your almighty editorial skills to look over what I’ve written, can you help me figure out how to bring everything together or suggest what might be missing? I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kira

She set her laptop down to heat a bowl of leftover pasta for dinner. By the time she had finished eating, Kylo had written back.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 12 Suggestions**

Kira,

I looked over what you’ve written so far and I agree, it’s missing something between the earlier conversations and the sex scene at the end.

You’ve made Violet’s closest friends in Revolution the most vocal about their distrust and covered her conflict over that well. Perhaps a way to tie those scenes and conversations together while building towards the smut would be to add-in various times where Violet has had to sneak around to see Ryder. Since only Ryder’s mother seems to know about their relationship so far, have her involved since she is firmly on Ryder’s side.

I would go for the cliche trope where they keep getting interrupted or have their plans to hook-up foiled. It will build up tension and provide a bit of comic relief amongst your more serious conversations.

Kylo

Rey sat and stared at her screen for a few moments. She had expected snark in return, and this was the most helpful he’d ever been. 

Impressed, she typed out a response. 

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: I owe you thanks….**

Kylo,

Umm. I’m kind of at a loss for words here. Your idea is alright, surprisingly, and I think it may help tie the chapter together.

I almost regret my snark earlier. Almost.

I’ve got a pretty busy schedule for the rest of the week, so I’ll be sending you an updated draft this evening. 

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: I did it for me**

Kira,

Don’t get too excited. I was motivated by your reminder a few weeks ago that the sooner you finish - the sooner we’ll be done working together.

Additionally, it will make it easier to edit your chapter when the text flows correctly and I won’t need to have you rewrite whatever you may have come up with if you didn’t ask for my help first.

You can send it tonight, but I’ll be too busy to look at it until Saturday.

Kylo

****

Ben had to pat himself on the back for avoiding any mention of Kira’s first negative comment. He’d seen it, of course, he’d been checking the reactions on her posted chapters with _far_ too much interest. He’d also expected to see some criticism of her first erotic scene, but the only dissenter amongst a sea of praise was from someone whose negative opinion was one he didn’t agree with. Go figure.

As expected, she quickly replied to his last message.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: So close**

Kylo,

I no longer feel bad for my snark.

Did you need a neck brace for the whiplash?

Good lord, it must be _exhausting_ to be you.

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: You wish**

Kenobi -

Not as exhausting as dealing with you, darling.

You should be working on your story. If you spend enough time on it, maybe we won’t need to go through so many drafts.

Kylo

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: I’m not your “darling”**

“Ren”

See the subject line.

We wouldn’t have to pass so many drafts back and forth if your giant condescending head would remove itself from your ass every once in a while to see that your standards are ridiculous.

Funny how I haven’t received one negative comment about my writing yet despite all of the little things I refused to change that you _insisted_ I fix.

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: There was one**

I don’t know. I saw that one comment earlier.

Kylo

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: FFS**

You know just as well as I do that the comment in question had nothing to do with my writing and everything to do with someone not reading the warnings. Nice try.

I was wondering when you’d mention that review. I have to give you kudos for not creating a fake account to spam my story with negative comments to make you feel better about thinking that you are some big important editor.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Even I’m not that low**

You’re right, I was wrong to use that as an example.

Is that what you think of me? I’m flattered that you think that I have extra time on my hands. I don’t need an anonymous alias to criticize your writing.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: This isn’t going well**

Kylo,

Let's call a truce, okay? We’re obviously never going to get along and we’re fighting back and forth for what?

I don’t even know anymore.

I’ll send chapter 12 tonight, look at it whenever you have time, whatever.

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Fair enough**

Kira,

I agree. Truce accepted. 

I’ll return the edits for your chapter no later than Saturday afternoon.

Kylo

Ben closed the browser window for Passion and Prose with a sigh. He’d promised himself after the last time, and the many times before that, that he’d stop engaging with Kira. She was so easy to rile up though, and he found himself not entirely hating their banter. A small flicker of guilt reminded him of Rey.

****

Rey put her head in her hands. She’d gotten into it with Kylo again, despite swearing to herself that she wasn’t going to again. He drove her crazy and for as pissed off as she was at him, she couldn’t stop egging him on whenever they started. A small thought tickled the back of her brain. Feeling guilty for letting such an idea into her head, she closed her browser and went back to writing.

Two hours later, her roommates came back from the bar and Rey finished putting the finishing touches on her draft. She’d even gone back through and made more edits and adjustments than she normally would have. The extra effort had absolutely nothing to do with Kylo’s comment earlier about going through as many drafts. Not at all.

Before she fell asleep that evening, she sent off a quick text to Ben. 

_Rey: Hey, I’m about to go to sleep, but I wanted to say goodnight and I hope you had a good evening. I’ll see you in the morning._

She smiled as the bubbles appeared underneath her message a second later

**Ben: I was just thinking of you too, sweetheart! I’m in bed myself, wishing you were here with me. See you in the morning. Xx**

_Rey: It's a good thing your bed won’t be so lonely, tomorrow. Xx_

Placing her phone on the bedside table, Rey snuggled under her covers and fell asleep.

*

Another week passed by and Rey found herself alone at Maz’s the following Saturday evening, tucked away at her table with a mug of lukewarm coffee and a half-eaten scone. Chapter 13 had been one of her hardest to write and featured a tense confrontation ending with another lengthy sex scene. It was the third chapter in a row that she’d included a fair amount of smut, and Kylo had just sent her a message criticizing her latest attempt at sounding far too much like the first two.

It annoyed her that he wasn’t wrong.

Things had been relatively peaceful between them after their heated back and forth the previous week. They’d stuck to their truce, and their correspondence had been mostly to the point and polite. As a result, they’d finished edits on chapter 12 in record time. Something told her that chapter 13 wouldn’t have the same outcome. 

Rey took a deep breath, opened her inbox, and sent him a response.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 13, Final Scene Suggestions**

Kylo,

Alright. Since you’re the expert, what would you have them do?

Kira

Rey returned to working on the first part of her chapter, fixing the smaller edits and making some changes in the wording that Kylo had suggested would improve the flow. He’d also pointed out a couple of discrepancies that she had missed, and it had taken rewording an entire passage to fix a plot hole.

There was a response waiting when she’d finished and checked her inbox again.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: You Asked…**

Kira,

Ryder and Violet have just fought off a large number of his former combatants, in addition to bringing down a massive ship. It's a huge victory for Revolution, but it would likely be a source of internal conflict for Ryder as he watches many of his former Command members perish. 

I believe that you could go with a more intense approach and hone in on Ryder’s emotions. Have him test Violet a bit with how rough she can take it. 

While your sex scenes have improved, you tend to play it safe as I mentioned in my earlier message. You don’t need to explore any hard kinks or things you are not comfortable with, but this would be a good chapter to push things a little bit beyond what you’ve been writing. 

Kylo

She paused after reading and considered his words. Her mind went to her own experience with Ben, picturing their more intense encounters. The way he firmly held her hips as he took her from behind, the pain in how he would bite her nipples and soothe them after with his tongue, and the gentle pressure of his hand at the back of her head when she let him fuck her mouth.

Pulling her file back up, she began to write a new paragraph.

_Ryder enters his quarters with Violet cradled in his arms before setting her gently on the bed._

_“Strip,” he demands._

_She removes her outer layers and boots before slipping out of her undergarments._

_His stare is intense as he takes in her naked form. Violet reaches to start undressing him, but he stops her, grabbing her wrist firmly._

_“But I want -“ she starts._

_He interrupts her. “Turn around.”_

_She complies._

_Ryder moves closer, pressing his clothed body against her. His cock is rock hard, straining through the fabric of his pants as it prods against her lower back._

_Violet moans as his hands find her nipples, tracing circles around the reddened peaks. Slowly, his fingers trail down her stomach to find her waiting cunt, wet and eager for him. A few flicks of her clit and he hears her begin to start begging._

_He backs away quickly, stripping off his clothes. His emotions are screaming after the events of the day. He feels relief and anger at the conflict raging within him. He needs release, he needs to feel alive._

_“Hands on the edge,” he growls in her ear as he slides a hand between her thighs, pushing them apart. He’s never taken her like this before, bent over before him, her pussy spread out for his taking._

_Her body tenses up and he hears her hesitate “I’m not sure -“_

_“Do you trust me?” Ryder interrupts._

_She nods and he thrusts his cock into her cunt, the sudden fullness causes her to cry out._

_His movements aren’t gentle as he takes her with a reckless abandon. One hand reaches around and pinches her nipple while the other grips her hip tightly. She babbles incoherently as he slams into her with each thrust. Quietly, he chants her name under his breath._

_“Trust me,” he reminds her again, switching his hand to her other breast and twisting the nipple. His thrusts are coming more rapidly and less controlled._

_“Fuck me, Ryder, harder, I need it.” She is begging him, desperate for more._

_He isn’t going to last long as he feels the pressure building. He reaches his climax with a shout of completion, filling her with his hot sticky cum. His every movement is punctuated by a silent prayer as he lets go of his past mistakes._

_Violet moves to turn and face him, but he holds her still. He slides to his knees behind her, finding her pussy with his mouth. Attacking every inch of her, he laps up his own release as he works to bring her to orgasm. Ruthlessly he teases her, rubbing her clit and fucking her cunt with his tongue as he can feel her legs tremble around him._

_“Come for me baby girl,” he commands and she has no choice but to obey._

Saving and attaching the new file, she replies to Kylo.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 13, updated end scene**

Kylo,

Thank you for your help, I hadn’t considered it from that angle. I rewrote the scene, switching to Ryder’s POV. It’s a slightly rough and dominant encounter, and I threw in a little bit of extra kink.

Let me know if you think this works.

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: A start…**

Kira,

You’re on the right track. I still believe that it could use more of both the action between them as well as more of Ryder’s thoughts as he deals with his emotions.

Having him eat his release out of her pussy at the end was a good choice. Keep that part in, don’t be afraid to include more details. I would consider switching to Violet’s POV at that point.

You’ve come a long way with your sex scenes.

Kylo

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: You ARE Nice**

Kylo,

Look at us being nice to each other! You’re even complimenting me without a backhanded remark. I’m impressed.

I’ll work on the updates that you suggested. I especially like the idea of switching to Violet’s POV as Ryder is eating her out after coming inside of her.

Is it too forward to say that I wish that I wasn’t writing in a public place at the moment?

Kira

She started to regret including the last line of that message as soon as she hit send.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Naughty**

Kira,

Writing smut with around others? Tsk tsk. 

I confess that I am glad to be at my own home right now. Perhaps you should move somewhere private if you’re having a hard time?

Kylo

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: I would if I could**

Kylo,

It sounds like you’re the one having a hard time.

Kira

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Wouldn’t you like to know**

Kira,

Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not. You’ll never know.

Kylo

Rey is hit with an enormous feeling of guilt.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Enough**

Kylo,

I apologize for leading the conversation in this direction. I’m currently involved with someone and I shouldn’t be discussing such things with you about my personal life.

You’ll have the updated draft of Chapter 13 with the new ending scene tomorrow.

Kira

He didn’t reply.

****

Ben didn’t know how to reply to Kira’s message. However, he knew that she was right. In all of the time that he’d been editing for Passion and Prose, he’d not once engaged in flirty banter with any of his authors. He’d ignored the few that had tried in the past, always keeping things professional.

Something about Kira was different. She infuriated him to no end, but he couldn’t resist purposefully making her angry. Lately, with their agreement to ease off their fighting, he’d found himself missing their banter.

He felt guilty and had been about to put an end to things when Kira had written back first. He still didn’t know how to answer her.

Later that evening, he received her updated draft. She’d fixed most of the errors of the conflict and battle scenes, there were a few things she ignored as she usually did, but he let them go. Continuing, he reads through the sex scene he’d helped her with earlier. Kira had taken his advice and added it to her first draft, and followed with a continuation of the scene from Violet’s point of view. It was emotional and raw, arguably the best she’d written so far. He made notes in a few places, and fixed a few small errors, before saving the file and attaching it to a new message.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Chapter 13, Almost Final Draft**

Kira,

Your changes look fine. The first part of the chapter is good to go. The second is an improvement over the first draft and only needs a few additional edits. Please fix those and resubmit.

I apologize for my comments earlier as well. I am also in a relationship and agree that we stepped over the line. I believe we should keep our message interaction strictly professional as we have been during the past couple of weeks. I’m sure that you can agree with that.

Kylo

****

“Holy shit, Rey,” Rose hissed as Rey showed her the conversation between her and Kylo. She’d returned to the apartment later that evening after finishing her draft, and immediately sought out Rose’s advice.

“I know, I feel horrible,” Rey confessed. “I don’t know why I react _so_ strongly to him.”

Rose patted her shoulder. “You can’t let yourself. He’s some random guy and lives who knows where. You don’t even know how old he is or what he looks like. He could be some 56-year-old creep with a beer gut living in his mother’s basement.”

“Fair point.” Rey cringed at the mental image. “I feel like I should tell Ben, but then I’d have to tell him about the whole Passion and Prose thing, and I’m not ready yet.”

“I wouldn’t. I mean you weren’t exactly in the right here - but I also don’t think that you need to tell Ben just yet, maybe after he knows you’re writing for the site,” Rose spoke carefully.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“And keep your messages to Kylo short, don’t engage him in conversation anymore. You can bounce your ideas off of us, and Kaydel can help with basic editing so the drafts that you do send him won't need as much work,” Rose suggested. 

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that earlier,” Rey agreed with a smile. “Thanks, Rose.”

“Anytime,” her friend grinned.

Kylo had replied when Rey checked her messages before heading to bed. She was thankful that he felt the same way and agreed to keep their conversations strictly professional. It was also a relief to know that her latest chapter was coming along. Only five more to go and she would be done and done having to work with him.

She’d just set her phone down on the nightstand when it buzzed.

**Ben: Just wanted to say goodnight. When will I see you tomorrow?**

Rey smiled. She had to miss brunch with Leia and Ben due to her hours at the coffee shop but had mentioned in an earlier conversation that she would come to his place after to spend the night.

_Rey: I work the late morning shift at Maz’s, I’ll get off around 3 pm and plan on coming straight over once I’m finished._

**Ben: Perfect. I can’t wait to see you. Did you have a fun evening with your friends?**

Another stab of guilt hit as she remembered the lie she’d told Ben about her evening plans. He had thought she was out with her roommates, not holed away at Maz’s after close writing smut and flirting with her editor.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she replied.

_Rey: It was eventful._

_Rey: See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams. Xx._

**Ben: You’ll have to tell me about it later. Sweet dreams. Xx.**

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW/TW: slight emotional cheating themes - Kylo and Kira get suggestively flirty with each other while editing a kinky sex scene that Kira is writing and both feel guilty about it because they obviously don’t know their real identities yet. So while not technically cheating, they don’t know that yet, so the regret over it is real and I briefly discuss how they feel as well as have them discuss it and agree to put an end to it before it escalates too far. They also both feel some guilt earlier in the chapter over brief feelings of enjoying their banter - again just very casually mentioned. 
> 
> I realize there was a bit of angst here, but I’ve had this planned out all along and I promise it all ends very well. This was also mostly a Kylo & Kira focused chapter, and the next chapter will jump ahead and have even more interaction between them. After that, we’ll get some more Ben & Rey time again and some fun and fluff! I hope you enjoyed the extra Kylo & Kira banter though, I had a lot of fun writing the back and forth.
> 
> Thanks for all your comments, kudos, and love! It makes my day! 
> 
> (p.s. I know some of you were hoping to see the poem Rey and Kaydel were going to write for Jess's birthday and I just couldn't figure out where to put it in with how the story was planned to go. If I ever write it, I may throw it in an endnote later or something!)
> 
> Throwing in another promo for my other WIP! A Notting Hill inspired Modern AU - I’ve posted four chapters (out of eight) so far and update about twice a week! Check it out for a slightly more angsty, but still fun and fluffy fic! 
> 
> [Love In Langley](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25968388/chapters/63128248)


	20. That's What Friends (And Foes) Are For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey gets help from her friends on her story as she tries to avoid having to work as much with Kylo. Emphasis on _tries_. These two just can’t stop getting into it with each other.

“These are unreal, truly,” Rey gushed as she studied the drawing depicting Violet and Ryder’s forest battle scene while she sat across from Jannah at Naboo, swooning over her friend’s latest artwork for her story. 

“I drew what you wrote. I should be thanking you for making my job so easy,” Jannah grinned in response. “Your readers are going to love your next update.”

“I hope so. A few of them were upset by the lack of sex in chapter four,” Rey pointed out, taking a sip of her drink.

“Those few were ridiculous,” Jannah assured her. “Besides, the best stories on the site don’t have sex scenes in _every_ chapter, you have to build the anticipation somewhere.” 

Her fifth chapter would be posting to Passion and Prose the next day, and she couldn’t wait to see the reaction from her readers to the surprising reveal, huge battle, and epic love scene that it would include. 

Rey flipped to the next image and blushed. “Woah.”

Peering across the table, Jannah laughed. “I had fun with that one.”

The drawing of Ryder and Violet was explicit, but tastefully so, and it perfectly captured their first time together. Jannah had drawn Ryder straddled over Violet’s hips with one of his hands cupping her breast as they looked into each other’s eyes. 

“This is just as I imagined it, truly,” Rey confessed as she studied the image. “Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome,” Jannah replied sincerely.

When the chapter posted the next morning it was the talk of the site.

*

The following Monday, Rey worked diligently to wrap up the edits for her fifteenth chapter and send the file off to Kylo before the long Thanksgiving weekend began. 

They’d managed to get through chapter fourteen without any added conversation outside of editing notes, and short questions and responses. Rey had taken Rose’s advice and had been asking her roommates for help. They had acted as a sounding board for ideas, and Kaydel had assisted with editing her first draft before she submitted it to Kylo. If he noticed the change, he didn’t mention anything. 

Satisfied, she attached the file and sent a message.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Chapter 15 Draft**

Kylo,

Here’s the first draft of chapter 15. 

Kira

She hesitated for a moment and debated on adding a comment about enjoying the holiday weekend, before deleting it at the last minute.

“Hey,” Rose’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Are you almost finished? We’re heading out soon.”

The four of them were going out for a roommate's “Friendsgiving” dinner since they’d be spending the holiday apart. Rose was leaving in the morning to fly across the country to Oregon to see her parents, and Kaydel and Jess planned to drive to the Pava family cabin in Vermont on Wednesday.

Rey looked up and nodded in response before sending the message. “I just sent off chapter fifteen. Thanks again for your help this weekend.”

“Anytime,” Rose replied cheerfully.

They gathered around the table at TaunTaun’s Restaurant sharing a samosa appetizer and sipping cocktails as they discussed their Thanksgiving week plans. Rose was staying on the west coast through the weekend, but Jess and Kaydel were planning to head back on Friday and hit up the sales along the way. Rey was spending Thanksgiving with Ben at his parent’s apartment and Leia had already insisted they stay over that evening, even though Ben’s apartment was only a twenty-minute walk away. 

She had convinced him to agree after finding out from Leia that his favorite cinnamon rolls would be served at brunch the next morning. 

And possibly by promising to do certain _things_ with him in his old bedroom. 

“So, dinner is on me tonight,” Rey announced once they’d ordered their food. 

“What?” Rose looked at her in shock.

“You totally don’t have to do that, Rey,” Kaydel assured her. 

She smiled and shrugged. “I insist, it’s the least I can do for all of your support for my writing, especially lately with the extra help editing and letting me bounce ideas off of you guys.” 

“We’re happy to do it, anything to keep you from having to deal with Kylo any more than necessary,” Rose replied. 

“Well, I also have gotten paid a bit for my first few chapters, and I can’t think of a better way to spend my first P&P paycheck,” Rey insisted. 

The pay from her stories wasn’t much; every author received a small amount of the money made from advertisements, Passion and Prose branded merchandise and the subscription fee that readers paid to access the site. Her first check was enough to cover part of a nice meal for her friends, and she’d saved her pay from working an extra shift at Maz’s the previous weekend for the rest. 

“My editing skills are always complimentary for you, but this is so sweet, Rey!” Kaydel smiled. 

“It is, thank you,” Jess added before a smirk spread across her face. “You know, I can think of someone else who would love to edit your work free of charge…”

Rey knew exactly which _someone else_ Jess meant. 

“Asking Ben to help edit would mean that I’d have to _tell_ Ben first,” she reminded them. 

“What better way to tell him though!” Jess suggested. “Hey gorgeous tall sexy man, come read the smut that I wrote using characters that I’m absolutely not basing off of us!” 

The entire table erupted into laughter. 

Rey pretended to act offended. “I totally did not base Ryder and Violet off of us!” 

The three of them all gave her the same skeptical look. 

“Tell us again with a straight face,” Jess challenged. 

She couldn’t and joined the laughter that followed. 

“Rey, you _have_ to!” Kaydel begged. 

“It would be pretty amusing,” Rose agreed. 

Rey considered their idea for a minute and then something came to mind. 

“I have a better plan,” she grinned slowly. “I’ll need your help though.”

“Anything!” Jess replied. “What are you thinking?” 

“I have three more chapters to write, and they’re already heavily outlined. I’m thinking that if I can get them written and edited, then I can print the entire thing and give it to Ben for Christmas,” Rey explained. “He’s a huge Galaxy Quest and Star Battles fan too, so even though this is a smutty romance, I think that he may like the premise.”

“Oh my god, Rey, that’s perfect!” Rose gushed. “He’s going to love it.”

“We will definitely help you finish up so you can make this happen,” Kaydel added. “I still think you should videotape his reaction though!” 

Rey groaned. “I’m not filming it so you can put it on your social media, Kay.”

Kaydel responded with a playful glare. 

“I suppose if we have to wait another month to find out what he thinks about your side job, then it’ll be worth it,” Jess teased. 

Rey returned to their apartment full and emotionally spent. While she loved hearing about her friend’s plans and their memories of past holidays - it was still a difficult reminder of what she didn’t have. She’d only recently started celebrating Thanksgiving as it was, usually spending time with Maz or whichever of her friends didn’t leave the city for that weekend. She appreciated being included, but it didn’t stop her from wishing she had her own family and a lifetime of holiday memories to look back on fondly. 

_Someday_ , she told herself. 

****

Ben wasn’t expecting to see any messages from Kira that week. They’d agreed to take Thanksgiving break off and resume the following Monday, but the first draft of her next chapter sat in his inbox.

He reluctantly opened the file and read through the draft. It was practically flawless. This was the second week in a row that she’d sent the first draft with obvious edits done beforehand. He’d ignored the first time, but he wasn’t going to let this one go without commenting. 

Opening his messages, he began to write.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Review Your Contract**

Kira,

Even though we had agreed to take the holiday week off and resume next Monday, I did go ahead and read through the chapter you sent me.

Clearly, you have been seeking an outside editor for both this chapter, as well as for chapter fourteen. I let the last one slide, but I feel like I have no choice but to bring my concerns to the head of Passion and Prose. You are violating the section in your contract that states all editing must go through your assigned editor.

I will not be working on your story until next Monday. Furthermore, I will step aside as your editor if you continue to work with someone else behind my back and outside of your contract. 

Kylo

He was being harsh and he knew it. 

This time of year wasn’t easy for him. Holidays growing up were a struggle. He was always expected to be on his best behavior as he was dragged to events with his Mother’s exceedingly boring friends. His father was hardly present because he was too busy flying other people around for their holiday vacations, and he usually had to spend time with his Uncle Luke and listen to countless lectures about his force meditation bullshit. 

Spending Thanksgiving with Rey this year was the only thing that would keep him sane.

He received a message back from Kira later that evening.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Are You Serious?**

Kylo,

We never agreed to take the whole week off, only the Thanksgiving holiday. While I’m not sure what you do for a job outside of P&P, if you even _have_ another job, those of us in the real world still work Monday through Wednesday of this week.

Your accusations about my using another editor are not only false, but they are also ridiculous. I have bounced some ideas off of my friends, as well as taken extra time to clean up and fix things before sending my first draft to you lately, but nothing more.

You can take your desire to go off and tattle and shove it. I checked with Amilyn last week and she is perfectly fine with what I’ve been doing.

If anything, you should be thanking me for saving you from having to edit my, what have you called it before? Oh, right, inexperienced and choppy writing.

I’m sorry if I’ve ruined your fantasy of getting me fired.

Kira

He groaned. Of _course,_ she’d cleared it with Amilyn.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: You’re Infuriating**

Kira,

I’m positive that I clarified we’d be taking the whole week off, and you agreed, but I digress. I wouldn’t expect you to remember such an easy detail, you skip over them often enough in your writing.

I’m rescinding the final draft status of chapter fourteen and will be giving it another look to ensure that it is up to standards.

I expect an updated draft, along with the edits I’ll be making to chapter fifteen by Wednesday since you insist that we are working through that date.

Kylo

It was after he’d sent the last message that Ben realized he’d given himself a whole lot of extra work to do out of spite. 

****

The two drafts Kylo sent back the next morning reminded Rey of the editing he’d done on her first chapters. Every tiny little error he could find, he did. He questioned everything, criticized constantly, and left her stunned at how drastically he had gone back to the condescending jerk he’d been from the start.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of getting to her she sent a quick response to say she’d email him the updated drafts that evening and shut out the browser with a sigh. She’d been planning to spend the night with Ben that evening, but now it looked like she’d need to come back to the apartment and write. It was probably for the best. She was still in a bit of a funk from the emotions that resurfaced the previous evening and some time alone - and taking out frustration on Kylo - would help. 

“Hey.” Rey entered Ben’s office at work shortly after she arrived. “Can I talk to you?”

He glanced up with a concerned expression. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing big, but I need to have some alone time tonight. Holidays are still difficult and as much as dinner with the girls helped last night - it was another reminder that I don’t have a family to go home to,” she explained. It wasn’t entirely the reason, but it wasn’t technically a lie either. 

“Oh,” He replied after a moment. “You know that you have me now though, right? And Maz, and your friends, and even my parents adore you.”

“I do,” she assured him. “And I appreciate all of you so much, but a little time to myself will help as well. Rose left this morning and Jess and Kaydel are planning to be out all night with work friends since they have tomorrow off. I don’t get the apartment to myself for long periods that often.” 

He nodded. “Of course, I understand.” 

“Thanks, Ben. I promise that I’ll stay with you the rest of the week,” she smiled reassuringly.

He smiled back. “As long as I get you after tonight, then.”

Approaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a soft kiss.

“We're still on for lunch today though?” She asked after they had parted.

“Absolutely, sweetheart.”

Rose had landed in Portland that afternoon, and Kaydel and Jess were out with work friends, leaving Rey to enjoy the peaceful quiet of her apartment that evening. She had poured herself a large glass of wine and was going through Kylo’s notes on the fourteenth chapter; the majority were ridiculous, and she was pretty sure he had purposefully moved a few commas to have something to criticize. Fixing the little things that needed corrections, she erased the rest of his notes in protest. Repeating the same for chapter fifteen, she saved both files and uploaded them to a new message.

**To: Kylo Ren**

**From: Kira Kenobi**

**Subject: Ch. 14 & 15 Final Drafts**

Kylo,

I’m ignoring the obvious fact that you are a condescending bastard who purposefully messed up my punctuation to give yourself more excuses to leave criticism on my work.

These chapters were basically flawless, to begin with, and most of your suggestions and criticisms were laughable. I saved you time and erased most of your notes after I corrected the small things that I did find.

I’ll be ignoring any correspondence from you until after the holiday weekend. You didn’t want to work this week anyway so I’m sure you’ll have no complaints on that front.

Kira

His response came right away, and despite her earlier words, she didn’t ignore it.

**To: Kira Kenobi**

**From: Kylo Ren**

**Subject: Thanks for the laugh**

Kira,

Only you would claim something as ridiculous as saying that I sabotaged your writing to have more reasons to criticize you. Don’t think so highly of yourself darling, those mistakes were yours.

Since you don’t wish to continue working this week, I won’t be reviewing your latest drafts until next Monday but I can guarantee that if you ignored most of my editing suggestions that they will not be final draft ready.

Kylo

****

Ben was on his second glass of whiskey for the evening. He’d had no intention of working on anything for Passion and Prose that week until Kira had made things difficult. Her latest accusations that he had intentionally made small changes in her drafts so that he’d have more to criticize were absolutely ludicrous. And _maybe_ , somewhat, true. 

He would never confess to moving a few commas.

He also admitted that chapter fourteen was more than fine as it was and had purposefully looked for the most insignificant details to criticize when he’d taken a second look. How she hadn’t caught on to the fact that he was outright trolling her at this point was beyond him.

With a sigh, he downed the rest of his glass and marked the fourteenth chapter as complete again. He didn’t look forward to her inevitable gloating, but it was wasting his time as much as hers to keep drawing it out further. 

Opening the next chapter, he got to work.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virtual learning has begun in our house, and I’ve been having a rough week mentally while adjusting (and from letting other things get to my head). I apologize if my updates slow down a bit as I get back in the swing of things - I should have a new chapter out at least once a week! 
> 
> Thanks as always for your support, and for reading and letting me know what you think! 
> 
> Coming next: a fluffy, funny, smutty chapter as we spend Thanksgiving with the Organa/Solo/Skywalker clan!


	21. Give Thanks, Make Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey spends Thanksgiving with the Organa-Solo family

Ben arrived early the following morning and set the coffee and scone, along with a single red-tipped yellow rose, on Rey’s desk. Heading into his own office, he slid out of his suit jacket, hanging it on the coat rack near the door, and set his briefcase by his desk before taking a seat and logging in to check his email.

“You’re going to ruin your reputation around here if you leave evidence of how sweet you are on my desk.” Rey appeared in his doorway a moment later, her face beaming.

Ben stood up and came around the desk, pulling her into his arms. 

“Worth it,” he whispered into her hair. Pulling back, he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “Are you doing better today?”

She nodded in response. “Much. Thank you.”

“Good,” he replied simply. “Did you see my mother’s email yet?”

“No, I didn’t even stop to put my things away yet,” Rey laughed.

He noticed that she was still wearing her coat and carrying both her purse and a decent sized overnight bag. A smile crept across his face. “I’m so glad that I get to spend the next few nights with you.”

“Me too,” Rey grinned back. “What about the email from your mom?”

“She’s kicking everyone out at lunchtime.”

“That sounds like something Leia would do.”

He laughed. “Go take care of your work for the day, after twelve you’re all mine.”

She gave him a mock salute before rising on her tiptoes and planting a soft kiss on his lips. “I can’t wait.” 

****

They walked back to his apartment in the chilly November air. Central Park West was bustling with the hustle of crews getting ready for the much-anticipated event that would take place the next morning. Rey smiled as she recalled the conversation she’d had with Ben a few weeks earlier where he’d casually mentioned that his apartment looked over the beginning of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route.

_ “What does Thanksgiving look like for your family?” she asked curiously after Ben had invited her to spend the holiday with the Organa-Solo clan. _

_ “My mother hosts a huge dinner, hires an entire kitchen staff to make entirely too much food and no one is sober by about four in the afternoon. My Uncle Luke will be there, as will my Dad’s best friend Chewie. Usually, my godmother comes as well, but she’ll still be in Europe this year,” Ben explained. _

_ Rey smirked to herself when Ben mentioned Amilyn again.  _

_ “I had an idea for that morning, it's okay if you want to say no, but I was thinking we could try and find somewhere to watch the parade. I know it's insanely crowded and likely that it will be unbearably cold,” she began to ramble. “It's just, I’ve only tried to see it in person once, and I say tried because it was my first year in NYC and I didn’t know where to go and got the worst possible spot, and -“ _

_ “Rey, sweetheart, we can watch from my balcony,” he interrupted her. _

_ Her eyes widened. “What?” _

_ “The parade route starts about six blocks up the street and passes right in front of my building as it goes down Central Park West,” he shrugged. _

_ “You’re serious?” _

_ “Completely, we could watch the entire thing naked in bed.”  _

_ Rey laughed. “I think I like the sound of that.” _

*

Naked, and still in bed, is exactly how they found themselves on Thanksgiving morning. The sounds of music and cheering from below floated into his room as the parade got underway. While technically they could see the tops of some of the biggest floats from beneath the sheets, Rey quickly realized that the best view would be from outside. She begged Ben to get out of bed and get dressed before dragging him out onto the balcony to watch as the colorful floats, balloons, and performers made their way down the street below them.

“This is unreal,” Rey gushed, grasping the edge of the railing that lined the top of the concrete border.

Ben moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso. She leaned back into the sturdiness of his chest and sighed. “And to think I almost didn’t pick this unit because of it,” he admitted.

Rey turned and looked at him. “Well that would have been dumb,” she scoffed. 

“Fresh out of First Order Ben wasn’t exactly a Macy’s Parade watching type,” he chuckled. “I spent the first two years that I lived here out of town so I didn’t have to deal with it.”

“Then what happened?” Rey asked curiously. “Is this the first year you’ve been home for Thanksgiving?” 

“Last year,” he confirmed. “It was the first time I spent Thanksgiving with my parents after everything. I watched the parade from this spot just like we are now. I don’t think I’d paid attention to it since I was a little boy.”

Rey grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it before settling back against him again as they continued to watch.

****

He led her across Central Park, bundled up in wool coats and knitted hats against the bitter wind that blew through the bare trees. They’d spent the morning viewing the parade; first from his balcony, then from inside when the cold weather became too much even with the copious amounts of blankets they’d attempted to bury themselves in. He’d made them eggs, toast, and coffee for breakfast and they’d eventually gotten ready for the day once the final floats of the parade finally passed by his building.

“Rey, wait a moment.” He stopped her suddenly as they walked along the paved path lined by benches.

She paused and looked up at him curiously. “Did we forget anything?” He watched as she visually took inventory of the wine bottle sticking out of her purse and the bottle of whiskey in his hand.

“No, it's nothing like that,” he assured her. “I just wanted,  _ needed _ , to tell you something, and um -" Ben ran his free hand through his hair. 

Rey’s brow furrowed. “Is everything okay?”

“I love you.”

He watched her breath catch at his sudden confession. Slowly her face relaxed, confusion replaced by something akin to wonder.

“You do?” She breathed, eyes wide, the faintest glimmer of moisture beginning to gather as emotion came over her.

Ben nodded, “I do. I have for a while if I’m being honest.”

Rey let out a small huff of laughter at his confession and gave him a watery smile. “You silly, ridiculous, man. I’ve loved you for a while too.”

  
  


“Maz called me on it the first time I went with you to the coffee shop,” he admitted. “She saw right through me.”

“Same here. She’s been giving me a hard time ever since we started dating,” Rey shook her head in amusement. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?” 

Ben grabbed her hand as they resumed walking. “There’s no one else that I’d want to be a pair with.”

Rey squeezed his hand in response. “I love you, Ben.”

He could hear the excitement in her voice as she spoke the words again. Not that he could blame her.

“I love you too, Rey.”

Luke and Chewie had already arrived by the time they reached Han and Leia’s, and they’d immediately taken a liking to Rey. He watched in amusement as Chewie had pulled Rey into his arms for a tight hug, the large man towering an entire foot over her. Luke greeted her less enthusiastically, but still politely, with a firm handshake and a curious stare. Ben guessed it would take an hour before he was trying to convert Rey to whatever force energy bullshit he was obsessed with at the moment.

“Did you two have a nice morning?” Leia asked once everyone gathered in the living room with drinks in hand.

“We watched the parade from Ben’s balcony!” Rey gushed excitedly. “At least until it was too cold to keep standing outside.”

“I haven’t seen the parade in person in years,” Leia mused.

Ben wasn’t sure where it came from, he’d probably blame Rey’s enthusiasm from that morning on it later, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “You’ll have to come over and watch it with us next year.”

“That’s a great idea!” Rey replied, giving him a genuine look of delight. “We can host a brunch.”

“Oh, Ben, that is a wonderful plan. We’ll be there,” Leia agreed.

Rey’s words and their implication made him forget all about any regrets he’d first felt after his impulsive invitation. She saw herself with him a year from then, hosting his family on the holidays.

The thought was almost too much.

They ate later that afternoon, the six of them gathered around the large dining room table filled with every Thanksgiving side that one could imagine surrounding a perfectly cooked turkey displayed in the middle. Cranberry sauce with a twist of orange, a toasted marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole, fluffy rolls that shone with a buttery glaze brushed over their golden tops, roasted green beans, herb-filled stuffing, and his Godmother’s famous creamy mashed potato recipe sat in various serving dishes.

Ben watched as Rey engaged in conversation, responding to questions with her brilliant smile between bites of food. She playfully bantered with his father and Chewie, and politely listened to Luke as he talked about his latest book. When Leia started in with another round of little Ben stories, she gave him amused grins while squeezing his hand softly underneath the table.

“Tell us about your family, Rey,” Luke casually brought up later on. Ben immediately glared at his mother who had assured him she’d spoken to Luke and Chewie about avoiding the subject.

The noise at the table paused for a moment. He was ready to speak up in Rey’s defense when her voice broke the uncomfortable silence that had filled the room. 

“I don’t have a family,” she replied, her voice only slightly trembling. Ben placed his hand on her thigh, rubbing her leg slightly.

“You don’t need to -" he whispered.

She shook her head and patted the top of his hand gently.

“Rey, I apologize, Leia mentioned that you didn’t like to talk about it and I forgot,” Luke interjected.

“It’s fine, I shouldn’t be ashamed of sharing my past,” Rey replied with more confidence.

He listened, his hand never leaving her thigh, as she shared the same story she’d told him over pizza two months prior. It struck him even harder hearing it the second time around. The feelings he’d developed since then made the idea of his sweet Rey going through everything that she had even more unimaginable.

Leia was the first to speak up when Rey finished. “You have a family now, my dear. Your friends, Ben, us, we all love you very much.”

Ben looked up at his mother, a look of gratitude on his face. He felt Rey tense up slightly beside him as she choked back a sob. It didn’t matter that they were at the dinner table, his arms were around her without hesitation. 

“Damn straight we are,” Han added with a roguish wink.

Rey kissed him gently on the cheek, pulling away from his embrace and wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve.

“Thank you, that means everything to me,” she addressed the table. “Can I hear another story about Ben as a little kid?”

Leia immediately launched into a memory involving a two-year-old Ben, a permanent marker, and some important papers she’d left out on the coffee table.

****

“I don’t think I can move,” Rey groaned as she buried her head deeper into Ben’s lap. They’d escaped after the first round of Trivial Pursuit that Leia had insisted they play over dessert, and were now hiding out in the basement; completely full, pleasantly buzzing on wine, and on the verge of a tryptophan-induced coma.

“I’m guessing that you still want to take my mother up on her offer to stay the night?” Ben chuckled. 

“Mmmhmm,” Rey replied sleepily. “Just throw a blanket over me, I’m good here.”

“I don’t know about that,” he began a moment later. “There’s a perfectly good bed in the room behind us, and I have it on  _ very _ good authority that a girl has never slept in that bed before, at least not with the original owner of said bed.”

Rey sat up with a mock horrified look on her face. “Benjamin Organa Skywalker Solo, do you want to fuck me in your childhood bedroom?”

He looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “That is  _ exactly _ what I want.”

She glanced over at the door that led to his old bedroom, then shifted her gaze to the door directly across from it. “No one else is sleeping down here tonight?”

Ben shook his head. “Chewie has a place in the city, he usually heads home before everyone goes to bed, and Luke always takes the guest room upstairs.”

Rey smirked and held out her hand. “Well, then I suppose we should go to bed now.” 

“Maybe we should,” he replied, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom. 

*

**_Crash!_ **

“What was that?” 

Rey gripped her hand around Ben’s bicep and held him steady. His cock was still fully seated into her cunt. 

Another loud crash came from just outside of his bedroom, followed by the sound of laughter and loud shushing. 

_ “If you wake up my sister, she’s going to kill us.”  _ A muffled voice from the next room announced. 

_ “Leia sleeps like the dead after half a bottle of red wine.”  _ The other voice in the room replied.  _ “You owe me a rematch from Easter.”  _

Rey glanced up at Ben with wide eyes as they heard the sound of them loading pool balls into the rack. 

“I forgot about their drunken pool game,” Ben chuckled quietly. “They do this every holiday.” 

“Should we stop?” 

Ben began to move slowly, letting his cock drag smoothly through her folds. 

“Not unless you want to,” he smirked. 

Rey shook her head. 

“Good,” his motion picked up a bit. “Can you be  _ really _ quiet for me sweetheart?” 

She nodded quickly and bit her lip. Her hips snapped up to meet his as they resumed their previous tempo. Soft groans and grunts filled the room as they desperately tried to stay quiet. 

**_Smack!_ **

The sound of pool balls ricocheting off one another rang out from the next room, followed by more laughter. 

_ “What the hell was that?! Are you so out of practice that you forgot how to keep your balls in the right place?”  _

Rey slapped her hand over her mouth to suppress the loud laugh that threatened to slip out at Han’s snarky tone. 

_ “The ones that count are.”  _ They heard Luke reply. 

Ben shook his head and rolled his eyes, then resumed the rocking motion in and out of Rey’s body. His head lowered and took one of her perky nipples in his mouth, swirling around the tip with his tongue before sucking it firmly. 

“Fuck, Ben,” she moaned softly. 

He released her tit with a wet pop and grinned up at her. “Shhh. You need to be quiet, my love.” 

Her lip quirked into a small smile at the new term of endearment. 

“I’m trying, but you’re such a tease,” she whined. 

“Mmm, I think you like it when I am,” he replied before swiveling his hips around in circles as she continued to make soft little noises. 

_ “Keep scoring with my balls and this game is going to be over before one of us puts a hole in the wall with the cue stick!”  _ Luke’s voice carried across the rec room. 

_ “You put a hole in one last year and then disappeared back to your rural property with shitty cell service before Leia saw and then I had to deal with her lecture alone. I told her it was your fault and she still blamed me.”  _ Han shot back in return. 

More sounds of clanking pool balls and drunken laughter filled the room. 

_ “Do you think we need to worry about waking up the kids?”  _

Rey raised her eyebrows at Ben who had gone still and was looking over at his closed bedroom door. 

_ “Nah, they came down here a while ago. Probably passed out earlier with all the food and wine they had.”  _

“See? They think we’re sleeping,” Ben whispered with a smirk. “All the more reason to stay quiet.” 

“I suppose,” Rey replied in a hushed tone. “Make me come, Ben.” 

He positioned himself back over her again and filled her quickly, giving her no warning. His thrusts were short and shallow as he tried to avoid making the bed move too much. Rey slid her hand between their bodies and down to her center, finding her clit, and rubbing firmly in quick circles. 

As her climax built, Ben returned his mouth to her breast and resumed his attention to her nipple. Sucking, licking, and biting at the rosy flesh. First on one side, and then the other. 

When her orgasm hit she let out a brief shout before covering.

_ “What was that?”  _ They heard Luke ask. 

Rey froze and looked up at Ben with wide eyes. They both looked at the door and waited for an answer. 

Han replied,  _ “like you have room to talk, you’ve missed half the shots you’ve taken.”  _

She let out a sigh of relief. “Holy shit, I thought that was about us.”

Ben smirked and began to move again. “I still need to come so you better be quiet.” 

Squeezing her inner muscles tightly, she held onto his biceps as he pistoned in and out of her, frantically chasing his release. As he spilled over the edge, he buried his face into the pillow beside her head with a muffled grunt. His sweat-soaked body pressed against hers as he rolled them over to the side, his spent cock slipping out of her as they changed positions. 

“There’s a bathroom attached to this room, right?” Rey confirmed as she felt the sticky release dripping onto her thighs. 

Ben replied with a nod and pointed towards a closed door on the wall opposite them. 

Rey turned over to give him a quick kiss and then quietly hopped off the bed and made her way across the room. 

_ “Fuck, I don’t know how you beat me.”  _ Han groaned loudly. She stopped in her tracks.

Rey turned to look at the door again as Luke laughed in response. 

_ “You got cocky, this happens every year.”  _

_ “Rematch tomorrow, I need to go to bed.”  _

_ “You’re on.”  _

The sound of the two of them walking up the stairs and muffled conversation followed. Rey looked over at Ben and wiped the back of her hand against her forehead with an exaggerated sigh of relief. 

She was about to enter the bathroom when Han’s voice called out from midway up the staircase. 

_ “You two aren’t as quiet as you think you are!”  _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a week! In addition to virtual learning, I live on the west coast with all the insane fires. Fortunately, none have been too close to my home - but we had nine family members living with us for a few days after their area was evacuated. Needless to say, I haven't had as much time to write and when I have - my brain has been exhausted. 
> 
> Updates will not be as frequent or as regular as they have been, but I promise to try and get them up when I can and I assure you again that this is 90% written (the last 10% is heavily outlined and mostly epilogue type stuff) so it's just a matter of finding the time to edit. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and your comments and kudos! I passed another big milestone in hits after my last chapter and I am so sooo thankful. Please keep them coming, they are a huge motivation!


	22. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend after Thanksgiving brings leftovers, family time, holiday movies, and a busy shift at Maz's for Rey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and all your support, as always!

“We need to get up,” a voice whispered in her ear. 

Rey rolled over and shoved her head under the covers. “Nope.”

Ben chuckled and attempted to pull her back towards him. “Come on sweetheart, they probably don’t even remember this morning.” 

Another muffled _nope_ came from under the heavy duvet comforter. 

She wasn’t going to face Ben’s dad and uncle after last night. Not a chance. 

“Fine.”

Okay, _maybe_ there was a chance. 

“I won’t let them give us a hard time,” he assured her. “My mother won’t either, she has enough embarrassing stories about the two of them to share if they even try and start.” 

They dressed and made their way up the stairs, following the sound of silverware clinking against plates and the low hum of chatter coming from the dining room. Ben’s parents and uncle sat at the table, as they feasted on a spread of various breakfast foods and leftovers from the dinner the previous evening. 

“There you two are! Come grab a seat and eat as much as you want,” Leia insisted, motioning towards the table. 

Rey took the seat next to Leia, while Ben sat in the seat beside his uncle directly across from her. 

“This all looks incredible,” she gushed as she began scooping diced breakfast potatoes onto her plate. 

Leia smiled indulgently at her and nodded at the array of food. “It’s been our morning after Thanksgiving tradition for years to sleep in and then serve a big brunch, you two are welcome to stay and eat and hang out here as long as you’d like.” 

“Thank you, I am going to need at least two meals worth to get through everything that I want to try!” Rey exclaimed. 

She continued to fill her plate with an assortment of food, selecting a variety of both breakfast staples and Thanksgiving leftovers

“So, I take it you two slept well last night?” Han brought up casually, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed and a mischievous look on his face. 

Rey felt her cheeks turn bright pink as Ben glared at his father. 

“Dad…” he warned. 

Han held his hands up in surrender and chuckled. “I just figured you’d be worn out, that’s all.” 

She slumped further into her seat and groaned. “Oh god.”

“What’s going on?” Leia asked, looking between the three of them. 

“Nothing!” Ben exclaimed. 

“Ha!” Han barked. “That’s not what Luke and I heard last night.” 

Leia stood up, her usually short stature seeming several inches taller as she towered over the table. “Han Solo, leave those two alone,” she replied before turning to Ben and Rey. “Those two idiots nearly got arrested in Vegas during Han’s bachelor party for -”

“Hey now, Princess, no need to bring up old memories!” Han interrupted and quickly changed the subject. “What do you kids have planned for the rest of the weekend?” 

“Nothing for today,” Ben answered. “Other than avoiding shopping at all costs.”

Rey nodded furiously in agreement. The idea of Black Friday shopping was her worst nightmare.

“I work at Maz’s tomorrow though and then I’ll be spending the rest of the weekend decorating my apartment with my roommates Kaydel and Jess,” she added. “Supposedly they are going to attempt and bring a tree back from the woods near Jess’s family cabin in Vermont. Whether it survives the drive or not is up for debate, they are heading back this afternoon and want to shop along the way.” 

“How fun,” Leia replied. “You’ll have to help Ben decorate his apartment this year too. He thinks that throwing a tiny artificial tree on a side table in the corner of his living area is festive.” 

“Oh, can I?” She asked Ben excitedly. 

He rolled his eyes slightly at his mother before turning back to her with a soft smile. “Of course, sweetheart.” 

“Speaking of Christmas,” Leia continued. “Will you both be able to join us for a Christmas Day? Rey, I understand if you have plans with friends already but I do hope you will be able to come for part of it.” 

Much like the Friendsgiving they held before the actual holiday, Rey’s roomies were already planning on a similarly early _Friendsmas_. Rose would be heading back to the west coast again, even though it was only a short time after her current visit - she made it a point to spend every major holiday with her parents with her sister no longer around. Jess and Kaydel would be splitting their holidays between Jess’s family cabin in Vermont and Kaydel’s parent’s in Connecticut. Poe and Finn were spending their holidays in Florida with the Dameron family. 

“My friends will all be out of town with their own families.” She answered. “I usually spend Christmas with Maz.” 

Leia clapped her hands together. “We’ll invite her as well! She used to join us years ago, but we didn’t celebrate much for several years and we never really got the whole group back together since…” her voice trailed off, but the implication of what she was going to say hung heavily in the air. 

It was clear to Rey that the period Leia was referring to were the years during Ben’s estrangement from his family. 

“Anyway,” Leia started again. “You and Maz will have to join us. Luke will be here and Chewie too. As will my dear friend Amilyn, Ben’s godmother, I am dying for you two to meet one another, I know she’ll just love you!” 

After the second serving of brunch, Ben was goaded into an impromptu pool tournament; or rather, a rematch between his father and uncle where the winner played Ben. 

Leia invited Rey to join her in the living room for drinks and girl talk, handing her a cosmopolitan before taking a seat in the armchair beside her. 

They chatted more about their upcoming holiday plans and Leia animatedly described her ideas for decorating that year, asking Rey for her opinions between the two themes that she was still considering. It didn’t surprise Rey to know that Leia hired an entire team to decorate the elaborate penthouse and she couldn’t wait to see how it looked all decked out for Christmas. 

Eventually, the topic shifted back towards Christmas Day and the subject of who would be there. 

“I believe that I mentioned my friend Amilyn owns the erotic fiction site, Passion and Prose? You’re familiar with it, right?” 

Rey schooled her expression and nodded, a faint smile barely playing across her lips. “You did, and yes, I am.” 

“Excellent!” Leia grinned. “I know you have plans to become a writer, and if it’s something you’re interested in and comfortable with, I’d love to put a good word in with her for you. There are a few resistance employees that already contribute to her site, all confidentially of course unless they choose to disclose it. I’m more than supportive of anyone at the company who chooses to work there on the side.” 

She felt her heart skip a beat. Did Leia already know? Was she trying to bait her into confessing? One glance at the woman’s face told her that her suggestion was genuine and it took everything she had not to tell Leia everything right then and there. 

_No_. She told herself firmly. Ben deserved to know next and she was sticking to her plan to tell him with a copy of her story on Christmas Eve. The timing could not have worked out better with Christmas Day being the first time Rey would be around Amilyn at the same time as Ben and his family. She’d tell Leia then. 

“Oh, um, I’ll think about it.” Rey finally answered, shaking herself from her thoughts. “Maybe after the chaos of the holidays is over.” 

“Of course, dear,” Leia replied. 

Ben interrupted them a few moments later to ask if Rey wanted to join them downstairs to watch him beat his father at a game of pool.

  
  


*

  
  


They returned to Ben’s apartment in the late afternoon after a rowdy game of billiards where Ben had inadvertently knocked the wind out of his father in an accidental pool cue to the gut incident. Despite the minor setback, Han had won and spent the rest of the afternoon bragging about beating both his brother-in-law and his son. 

Leia had insisted on sending them home with bags filled with leftovers from both thanksgiving and brunch. Nearly stacked and labeled Tupperware containers filled with all sorts of food that Rey planned to eat that evening and then again during the following week. 

The park was bustling with activity with many people out enjoying the popular day of shopping and others simply getting in their exercise or enjoying the crisp fall air with loved ones. The chilly weather was tolerable as they walked beneath the nearly bare trees. Rey had her arm tucked into Ben’s, burrowing her bare fingers into the wool of his jacket for warmth. 

“I’ll put the food away, why don’t you go pick out something for us to watch. I’m ready to just sit around and do nothing.” Ben said as he took the bags into the kitchen once they’d arrived back at his apartment. 

Rey nodded in agreement and headed for the living room, grabbing the remote to turn on the television. After perusing several options, she settled on Home Alone, remembering Ben’s comments about wanting to be like Kevin McCallister at the Plaza from the second movie in the franchise. 

“Already starting with the Christmas movies, I see” Ben chuckled as he joined her. 

“You mentioned the sequel recently and we can watch that next, but we have to start with the first,” she explained. 

He pulled her into his arms as they settled back onto the couch. “Naturally.” 

They spent the evening watching the two Home Alone movies and eating more leftovers while laughing at the hilarious hijinks in the films. 

“I hadn’t seen those in years,” Ben commented after the credits for the second film began rolling. “They were my favorites as a kid.” 

Rey snuggled deeper into his side. “I have a lot of favorite Christmas movies, I hope you're ready to watch all of them with me.” 

“We’ll see about that, I might have to draw the line at anything Hallmark related,” he murmured into her hair before planting a kiss on the top of her head.

*

Rey left Ben’s apartment just after seven the next morning. Ben accompanied her to the nearest train station, not wanting her to walk alone in the dark early hours, and kissed her goodbye. She promised to try and check-in, but couldn’t guarantee that it would happen if she got caught up in the holiday decorating frenzy. He laughed and told her he understood before promising that he’d see her on Monday morning at the office. 

The small cafe already showed signs of the upcoming season. Warm twinkle lights bordered the large windows and a wreath made of pine and berries topped with a simple red bow hung outside the door. 

Rey entered to find the familiar sounds of Christmas music playing. Maz always chose a blend of standards and classics for her shop, filling the air with the crooning of Frank, Dean, and Bing through the month. She loved it. 

BeeBee and Artoo were already behind the counter waiting by the empty pastry display. 

“Morning,” she nodded to them as she passed. “Let me drop off my things and get my apron.” 

She headed into the back and waved a quick hello to Maz who was in her zone finishing up the last of that morning’s baking. The smell of familiar holiday spices like cinnamon and clove dominated the kitchen.

With her items safely stored in her locker and her apron snugly tied on, she returned to the front of the store. 

“Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?” Artoo asked. 

“I did, I had dinner with my boyfriend and his family. His mom sent us home with bags of leftovers after a huge brunch the next morning,” she grinned. Her occasional weekend co-workers didn't know a ton about her, but they _had_ figured out how much she loved food. “How about you two, did you do anything fun?” 

“We went to BeeBee’s grandparent’s in Jersey City for a bit, but we left early to go shopping and scored an awesome deal on a TV for our dorm!” Artoo replied. 

Rey made a face. “No thanks,” she muttered. “Not because of the TV, the whole Black Friday thing. I don’t get the point of standing in a line outside in the cold overnight to save fifty bucks.” 

“A lot of stores open Thanksgiving evening now, so we only had to wait three hours!” BeeBee explained. 

“Yeah, and we saved _two hundred_ and fifty bucks. It was totally worth it!” Artoo added. 

Rey laughed at their enthusiasm. “Whatever you guys say, I’m glad you got your new TV though.” 

“Thanks!” BeeBee beamed. “It’s going to be amazing for gaming!” 

Maz appeared a short time later with the first tray of that morning’s pastries to place in the bakery case. The three of them worked efficiently as they always did to finish filling the display well ahead of opening. 

The day started slowly as a mix of regulars and the occasional early bird shopper wandered in looking for a caffeine fix or a holiday-inspired beverage. By the late morning, the crowds had begun to pick up significantly as more and more people ventured out to participate in the shopping rush

“Peppermint Mocha for Rian!” She called out cheerfully, handing the festive printed cardboard cup over to the sandy-haired man waiting on the other side of the counter. 

A steady mix of Maz’s holiday specialty drinks made up the majority of their purchases that day and Rey grew more and more convinced that she was going to smell like peppermint and gingerbread for the next month. 

  
  


*

“My dear, once you’re off your break can you take these two mugs to that table in the back where you and that boy of yours like to sit?” Maz approached her with two steaming mugs in hand as she sat in the backroom and finished a sandwich over her lunch break. 

“Of course,” she nodded. 

Maz offered porcelain mugs and plates for those who wished to sit and eat inside the cafe on real dishes. It wasn’t as popular of an option as choosing a to-go cup, but the older woman had always insisted on having the choice available for her customers. 

Rey quickly polished off the rest of her turkey and provolone sandwich, washing down the last bite with a swig of water and making sure her face was clean before putting on her apron. 

Passing by the counter where the two mugs sat, she picked up one in each hand and made her way from the kitchen door out into the shop. It didn’t surprise her to see that every table was full, usually, no one sat at her spot in the back unless it was the only choice remaining.

As she rounded the corner, she was met with the sight of a familiar woman with lilac hair sitting opposite another woman who she immediately recognized as Ben’s mother. Neither saw her at first as she carefully wove her way past the crowded tables, firmly holding onto each mug. 

She could overhear Leia talking animatedly as she came closer and stopped suddenly in her tracks as the words of her conversation became more clear. 

“...my son forgets that I remember how he used that _ridiculous_ Kylo Ren name for his AOL messenger account in middle school!” 

The entire cafe seemed to go completely silent at the sounds of shattered porcelain and splattering coffee across the gleaming wooden floors. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go...
> 
> (I promise not to leave you hanging for too long!)
> 
> Let me know what you think, did anyone see that coming?! 
> 
> ******If you comment on one of my self promo posts on social media for this chapter, please don’t mention anything about the ending! I want to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read yet 😊 thanks!! *****
> 
> Feel free to talk all about it in the comments here though! 
> 
> Also, I'm sharing one last shameless self-promo for my Notting Hill inspired modern AU that I've also been working on! I posted the final chapter a couple of days ago so it's now complete if you wanted to check it out (and get a preview of the fluffy epilogues that I write)! Find it here: [Love In Langley](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25968388)


	23. You Serious, Clark?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey receives helpful advice and support from some of the most important women in her life before she goes to talk to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **PLEASE READ FIRST!!!**
> 
>   
> Please skip down to the top of the endnotes if you have any concerns about potential CW/TWs relating to the newest added tags! There will be spoilers, but I’d rather you take care of your mental health ❤️

“Rey.”

She looked down to see a soft wrinkled hand grasping her wrist. 

“Maz, I’m  _ so _ sorry, I’ll clean this up -” 

“I’ve already asked Artoo to handle it, come with me dear,” Maz interrupted, gently pulling her towards the door into the kitchen. 

Glancing over at Leia and Amilyn, she noted the look of concern on both of their faces. She didn’t know what to say or how to  _ feel _ . 

  
  


Maz led her into the backroom and motioned for her to sit. 

“I’m so sorry,” Rey repeated, her voice still numb. 

The older woman rubbed her shoulder, a look of concern on her face. “Did you want to tell me what this is all about? I thought it would be a good surprise to see Leia, but I’m guessing based on your reaction that there’s a bit more going on, hmm?” 

Rey snorted. “You could say that.” 

“Care to elaborate? The cliff notes version please, I need to get back out to the front.” 

“You know how I’ve been writing here again lately?” She began, watching as Maz nodded in response. “I’ve been working on a story for Passion and Prose.”

Understanding dawned on the other woman’s face. “Ah, Amilyn’s site.” 

“That’s the one. I’ve been working with an editor and long story short, we don’t get along at all, he‘s a complete ass.” Rey started laughing and crying at the same time. “I overheard Leia mention that Ben used the name Kylo Ren for social media in middle school, Kylo Ren is my editor. _ Ben  _ has been my asshole editor this entire time.”

A soft knock drew their attention to the doorway where Amilyn and Leia stood. 

“Rey,” Amilyn softly spoke.

“You knew,” Rey replied harshly. “How could you not say anything?” 

“You're aware of my confidentiality policy, dear. Both you and Ben have been insistent on keeping your involvement with the site a secret and I didn’t feel it was necessary to break the contract you signed.” Amilyn explained. 

“That’s fair, I suppose,” Rey agreed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

“Don’t be sorry, Rey, anyone would be upset in your shoes. I was hoping you two would have figured it out by now, and perhaps I should have stepped in earlier.” Amilyn replied.

“I need to go back out front,” Maz interjected as she headed for the door. “Rey, take the time you need to talk. I’ll bring some fresh coffee to all of you.” 

  
  


Amilyn and Leia took seats at the table and they sat in silence for a few moments. Rey was unable to put her thoughts into words as a mix of emotions swirled around in her head. 

Leia spoke first. “I hope you don’t mind that Amilyn explained everything to me before we came back here, I didn’t exactly give her a choice.”

“She’s hard to say no to and she was already putting it together. I only helped fill in the blanks,” Amilyn confessed. 

“That’s fine,” Rey gave them a small smile. “Leia, I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you yesterday when you brought it up. I was planning to tell Ben on Christmas Eve with a copy of the story I’ve been writing and then I was going to tell you the next day so that Amilyn and I wouldn’t have to pretend to be strangers.” 

“Understandable dear,” Leia assured her with a laugh. 

“I still think you should give him your story as a gift, he’s really proud of it,” Amilyn added. 

“He told you that?” Rey looked up at her skeptically 

“Well, not in so many words, but he’s made a few comments that have suggested as much. I can also see when everyone logs into the site and he checks on your story whenever it updates multiple times. I’m pretty sure he refreshes your comments more often than you do, to be honest.” 

“But he  _ hates _ me. Well, Kylo hates Kira, that is. I just don’t see how Ben can be the same person as that condescending jerk.”

She began to feel the anger in her emotions take over and stood up quickly. 

“Where are you going?” Leia asked. 

“I need my phone, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind,” she growled. “I know he’s your son, but he’s an asshole.” 

Maz returned at that moment with a tray of coffee and pastries. 

“I recognize that face, Rey, sit back down and take a breather.” 

Rey plopped back down in her chair, her arms folded petulantly over her chest. 

“That’s more like it,” Maz replied gently as she set the tray down in the middle of the table. “I know how you are when you’re upset, child. Don’t act without thinking it over first, you’ll regret your words.” 

She nodded and looked down at the table, taking a deep breath. 

“Thanks,” she choked back a sob as tears threatened to fall. 

“Talk with these two, have something to eat and drink, and then I want you to head home early and vent to your roommates.” 

Rey went to argue but the older woman held her hand up and refused to listen. 

Maz disappeared again and silence descended over the table as Amilyn and Leia sat and drank their coffee. No one spoke for several long minutes as Rey picked absentmindedly at her gingerbread muffin. As she thought back over the past few months the coincidences were obvious and she felt ridiculous for not realizing it before then. 

“Rey,” Amilyn finally broke the silence again. “What are you thinking about?” 

“I don’t even know,” she shrugged. “I want to rage, and cry, and laugh, I can’t figure out what to feel right now. I’m mostly struggling to reconcile the idea that Ben and Kylo are the same person.” 

“I understand,” Leia replied before adding, “Ben can be a difficult editor and Snoke’s influence has been hard for him to shake. It’s a big part of the reason why he works with mostly old school writers at Resistance who are used to that level of criticism; though I didn’t realize he was like that with the writers on Passion and Prose.” She glanced over at Amilyn. 

“He usually isn’t, Rey has been the exception,” Amilyn explained. 

“That makes me feel so much better,” Rey deadpanned. “You mean he’s only an asshole to me?” 

Amilyn let out a sigh. "Let me be honest with you.” 

She swallowed and nodded. “Okay.”

“There’s a fine line between love and hate as they say, and you two have been flirting with it - and dare I say flirting a bit with each other lately.” Amilyn pointed out gently. “It reminds me of another couple I know.”

Rey looked up just in time to see Amilyn direct a knowing state at Leia. 

“Me?” Leia placed a hand on her chest and pretended to act shocked. 

“You and Han, the two of you practically invented the art of flirting by bickering.” Amilyn accused teasingly. 

Leia shrugged and inclined her head to the side with a wink. “That’s true.” 

“Also, Rey darling, you’re not entirely innocent here either. Ben may have started things initially but you’ve been going back and forth with each other and you haven’t always been kind.” 

She sighed and scrunched up her nose. “He’s still been more of a jerk.”

“Oh I don’t disagree, and when you do decide to confront him give him hell, well, more than you already have been giving him. Had you not been so good at biting back, I would’ve possibly stepped in, but you seemed to be faring alright without my interference.” Amilyn chuckled. “After that first misunderstanding with the experience comment on your first chapter, you didn’t email to complain about him again - not until recently, but that wasn’t because he was being too mean, quite the opposite am I right?”

“I suppose.” She knew that Amilyn spoke the truth, as hard as it was to hear and accept at that moment. 

“Can I give you a little advice, Rey?” Leia asked. 

“Of course,” Rey replied. 

“Sleep on it tonight, get your emotions sorted, and then talk to him. Han and I are both stubborn and quick to react and it rarely ends well. It’s honestly because of the nature of our jobs and the fact that we spend a lot of time apart that we haven’t killed one another.” 

“I can do that,” she agreed. “Thank you.” 

They chatted for a while longer until the coffee and pastries were gone. Amilyn and Leia assured her that they wouldn’t tell Ben they had seen her until after she’d had a chance to talk to him. Rey promised to let them know how things went as they both embraced her with loving hugs before they went their separate ways.

Her thoughts ran wild as she rode the train back to Brooklyn. Talking with Amilyn and Leia had helped and had given her a lot to think over during their conversation. The shock of discovering that Ben was Kylo hadn’t worn off yet, but her emotions about the situation were starting to settle down somewhat and she felt like she could think more rationally. 

“You’re back early! I thought you weren’t off for a few hours?” Kaydel questioned as Rey walked through the door of their apartment. 

Jess looked at her with concern as she noted her red-rimmed eyes. “Rey, babe, is everything okay?” 

She pulled off her coat and hung it by the door with her purse before turning back to face her friends. “Ben is Kylo.” 

“No  _ fucking  _ way!” Kaydel reacted first, as she brought her hand to cover her mouth. 

Jess stared at her with wide eyes for a moment. “You’re shitting us, right?” 

She shook her head and let out a short chuckle. “I wish I was.” 

Rey went on to explain the events of earlier that day, how she’d overheard Leia, and the reaction that had followed. They’d agreed with the advice that Amilyn and Leia gave her and pulled wine and chocolate from their emergency stash while she continued to vent. 

“I think you have every right to be upset, but I think you need to talk to him tomorrow and let him know too,” Kaydel said once Rey had finished talking. 

“I agree,” Jess added. “I’m not excusing his behavior at all, but you’ve been pretty harsh on him in return at times. Neither of you is innocent here and right now he has no clue who Kira really is and he deserves to know before you go off and get mad at him.” 

She nodded in agreement as she took a sip of her wine. 

“I think we should take your mind off of it and start decorating the tree,” Kaydel suggested. “We’ll put on Christmas Vacation and you can quote the whole thing out loud like I know you love doing.” 

“I like that plan,” Rey smiled. 

“Me too,” Jess agreed. “And then tomorrow after you wake up, you can go talk to him. I’m sure once you both have a chance to work things out that everything will be okay. I mean, you have to admit the whole thing is kind of amusing.” 

“I know, that’s why I’m so conflicted,” Rey answered. “I’m both angry and amused and now I’m starting to worry about how he’ll react. What if he decides that he doesn’t like me anymore? What if he breaks up with me?” 

“Rey Jackson, really?! That’s ridiculous considering that you have just had us help you with the last few chapters of your story because  _ you _ decided to back off when the two of you were getting too flirty.” Jess rolled her eyes. 

Kaydel laughed. “Can’t argue there, if anything he’s going to be relieved that you’re the same person. Aren’t you a little bit relieved too?” 

She hadn’t thought that far ahead yet but her friends spoke the truth. She’d been fighting the guilt of having some feelings for Kylo and he’d been Ben this whole time. No wonder she’d felt drawn to him, why she’d been so tempted to constantly get into fights with him and missed their banter whenever they’d agreed to call a truce.

“I am,” she confirmed with a smile. “But for now, I’m ready to get my mind off of this for a bit.” 

“That’s the spirit!” Kaydel cheered. “Did you see the tree we brought back? It’s not perfect but it survived the trip from Vermont!” 

Rey looked at where Kaydel was pointing and saw the small tree in the corner of their apartment. It was sparse, but had a lot of charm and character and only leaned to the side a little. 

“We bought a bunch of ornaments and other decorations too. I thought we could decorate the tree tonight and the rest tomorrow evening when Rose is back?” 

“I like that plan,” Rey smiled. Rose wasn’t big on decorating and had insisted they go ahead and start without her. 

They spent the next few hours trimming the tree with lights and ribbon and various ornaments as Clark Griswold got into various antics on the screen behind them. Rey quoted along with the memorable lines and laughed until her stomach hurt. Every so often she would drift back to thinking about the Ben and Kylo situation but pushed it off to the side whenever that happened. 

They ordered Chinese food for after finishing the movie and decorating the tree and caught up over dinner on how their Thanksgiving had been. Jess and Kaydel shared the hilarious comments of Jess’s outspoken great aunt, and Rey had them crying from laughter when she told them about being overheard by Han and Luke. 

That night before she went to bed, Rey texted Rose and explained the entire situation again. Unsurprisingly, her best friend was just as shocked as everyone else, but was quick to back up the advice that she had been given so far. 

She’d finally fallen asleep while playing out how she planned to confront Ben in her head the following day. 

  
  


*

  
  


Rey woke up the next morning feeling better. She wouldn’t deny that there were still mixed feelings about the entire situation, she and Ben would have a lot to talk over, which wouldn’t be easy, but there was a deeper feeling of relief as well. 

Relief of no longer having to keep her writing a secret from Ben and relief from the guilt she felt after flirting with Kylo knowing now that they were the same person. It still worried her to think about how he would react when she told him the truth, but as everyone had pointed out - neither of them was innocent. 

She rode the train to the stop closest to his apartment later that morning before walking the rest of the way. The bright blue skies and sunshine were deceptive for how cold it was and she hurried along the sidewalk to reach the warmth of his building, sighing happily as the burgundy canopy came into view. 

“Miss Jackson!” Mr. Threepio greeted her with a tip of his hat. 

“I came to surprise Ben, is he home?” she asked as she breathed in the warmth of the lobby. 

“You have excellent timing. He just arrived back not twenty minutes ago,” the man replied. “There was another woman with him, a friend of yours, perhaps? I was helping another resident at the moment and they slipped right past me, I’m afraid I only noticed blonde hair.” 

The only blonde female friend of Ben’s was Gwen Phasma. 

“That must be Gwen,” she replied with a laugh

“No, I’m familiar with Miss Phasma. This was a different blonde, she was shorter, maybe a couple of inches taller than you.” 

Her expression changed and her face paled as her mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario. Ben wasn’t expecting to see her until Monday, it would be the perfect opportunity to have someone else over. She began to wonder how long this had been going on, he’d been so good at hiding his side job at Passion and Prose from her - what  _ else _ was he hiding? 

“I see, I um, I need to go.” She began backing towards the entrance. 

“Would you like me to ring up and let him know you that are here?” Mr. Threepio asked

She shook her head. “No, no that’s not necessary.” 

Rey was barely out the door before she broke down into sobs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If you did read the whole chapter, you can skip down to the sentence in all caps surrounded by ***)
> 
> CW/TW - perceived infidelity. 
> 
> The paragraph below this contains **SPOILERS!!!** but if you want to read what happens before reading the entire chapter I wanted to give you the option of the CW/TW is worrisome. 
> 
> After discussing the situation with Maz, Amilyn, Leia, and her roommates - Rey goes to confront Ben the next day. She arrives at his apartment and finds out from Mr. Threepio that he’s recently returned with a blonde woman (not Phasma). Rey assumes the worst (keyword assumes, see last two tags again, haha!) and leaves the building upset. All will be explained in the next update, it’s ready to go and will post tomorrow. 
> 
> ***PLEASE DO NOT PANIC AND PUT DOWN THE TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS 🤣 ***
> 
> (You totally don’t have to read this novel of an author’s note, but I wanted to include my thought process and explain a bit for those who may want to know what the heck is going on...or some of it, at least!) 
> 
> I’ve had this double cliffhanger planned all along - I wanted to mirror an aspect of Rey’s P&P story in MY own story (the double cliffhanger in hers is referenced in chapter 17 of this fic - her chapters 9 & 10 end on back to back cliffhangers, and the second of these involves a mystery woman too. I see what I did there 😏) 
> 
> I promise that you will find out the identity of the blonde (puts flashing lights and arrows around the devoted Reylo tag AND the misunderstanding tag!) and get the much-awaited confrontation in the next chapter!
> 
> All is not as it seems and I promise a HUGE HEA (as in the last 4.5 chapters are basically pure fluff and smut and good feels, and there are 5 chapters left after this 😉) 
> 
> I also hope that you aren’t too disappointed by Rey’s reaction and the fact that I didn’t have the Ben confrontation yet. I know some thought she would be super mad, and while she is mad - I also felt like she would have a lot of conflicting emotions that she’d be struggling with. 
> 
> One of the reasons that I went with the reveal at Maz’s in front of Amilyn and Leia is that I wanted her to have that initial support and advice instead of just having her go off without thinking things over. Don’t worry, you’ll still get some fiery Rey in the next chapter, but there’s also her other emotions too. In addition, I wanted to focus on another theme in this story - the importance of her friendships and mentors. 
> 
> (Chapter title is from Christmas Vacation, obviously! I couldn’t reference the movie without throwing in a quote and this one seemed fitting because you are all probably thinking “you serious, Grey?!” right now 🤣) 
> 
> Thank you as always for reading and supporting! Your reaction to the last chapter was amazing! 
> 
> Finally, one last thing! Do you ever have an idea in your mind of how you envision something and you know how you want to describe it but you can’t put a finger on an exact example? That’s how my banter between Kira and Kylo has been - I’ve been writing it influenced by a certain dynamic but I couldn’t pin down where I was pulling that dynamic from. Twitter user TheDinkum_Reylo recently posted about Niles and CC Babcock from The Nanny being peak enemies-to-lovers and I was immediately like “Omg! that’s it!” 🤣 Harsh and cruel at times, yes, but also ridiculous and comical in a way and sometimes flirting that line between love and hate.


	24. About That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey finally have their talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SUPER IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!**
> 
> **This is the second chapter that I've posted today, the other (chapter 23) went up early this morning, and I wanted to give you all the follow-up as soon as I could! So if you haven't read chapter 23 yet, go back and do that first!**
> 
> (Also, see endnotes for a CW about a couple of tags that apply to a sex scene at the end of this chapter - they are the same two I added for chapter nineteen in the last scene I posted from Rey's story)

Her devastation quickly turned to anger as she made her way across the street and into Central Park. She walked for a while with no particular destination in mind. A myriad of thoughts raced through her brain once again as she dealt with the confusion, hurt, and anger that she felt. A huge part of her wanted to go back and confront him, to _catch_ him in the act so she could justify the anger she felt.

The cold air kept her moving quickly as she worked her way towards the far end of the park. Finding a solitary bench near the conservatory gardens, she collapsed onto it and began to cry. 

After taking time to settle down, she reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. The image on her lock screen was a selfie she’d taken with Ben only a couple of weeks before on their way out to dinner for his birthday. They were smiling with their faces pressed tightly together as they attempted to squeeze into the frame. 

_What if this is something else,_ she tried to convince herself. 

Rey began to doubt her initial reaction as she continued to sit and think. It was easy to assume the worst with how upset she currently felt. She knew that she owed it to Ben to talk to him like she’d already planned on doing. 

Opening up their latest text conversation, she took a deep shuddering breath and sent him a message. 

_Rey: Can you meet me in Central Park?_

A reply came almost immediately 

**Ben: That’s a broad location, sweetheart. Why don’t you just come to the apartment? And what are you even doing at the park?**

It eased her mind slightly that he had asked her to come over without any hesitation. She doubted that would be the case if he were trying to hide something. 

Rey thought it over for a moment and sighed. Dragging things out wouldn’t help either of them at this point. 

_Rey: I’ll be there in twenty. We need to talk._

**Ben: Is everything okay?**

_Rey: I don’t know._

**Ben: Rey, sweetheart, you’re worrying me.**

She didn’t answer as she hurried back through the park towards his apartment. Mr. Threepio greeted her with surprise as she rushed past him and took the elevator up to Ben’s apartment. He was waiting just outside his front door for her as she came down the hallway, leading her inside once she arrived.

“Care to tell me what this is about?” He asked curiously. “I thought you were spending the day with your roommates?” 

“Care to tell me why Mr. Threepio saw you bring a blonde back to your apartment earlier?” Rey replied tartly. 

Ben looked at her in disbelief for a moment and then cracked a small smile. 

“Rey, that was my Godmother. She joined my mother and I for brunch this morning and I asked her to stop by after to help me with a project I’m working on - a Christmas gift for my mother, actually.” 

She felt her heart sink. How could he stand there and lie to her?

Her response was as cold as the weather outside. “Amilyn’s hair is purple, Ben.” 

“Well she was blonde this morning, she never keeps her hair the same color for long.” He replied immediately before a confused expression appeared on his face. “Wait. How did you know that Amilyn had purple hair?” 

“I’m Kira, _Kylo_.” She confessed. “I’ve known Amilyn since she hired me to write for her website.” 

She was met with silence. Ben stared at her, his expression unreadable as his brown eyes seemed to look straight through her forehead. 

After several long moments, the corner of his lip quirked up and he threw back his head and let out a loud laugh.

“You’re serious?” He asked once he finally stopped laughing. 

“It’s not funny, Ben,” she pouted. He glanced at her knowingly and she sighed. “Okay, it’s kind of funny.” 

“How did you figure it out?” he asked. 

“Your mother and Amilyn came to Maz’s for coffee yesterday morning and I overheard Leia mention that you used the name Kylo Ren in middle school.” 

He let out a groan. “Of course, I should have realized that she would remember that. And here I thought that I’d managed to keep a secret from her for once in my life.” 

Rey snorted. “I’ve only known your mother for six months and even _I_ could tell you that she always knows everything.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” he replied. 

“I always am,” she smirked. “So, are you mad that I’m Kira?” 

He let out another loud laugh. “Why would I be mad? You should be the one who is mad. My god, sweetheart, I’ve been _such_ an ass to you.” 

“At least you’re acknowledging it,” she sighed. “And yes, I am somewhat angry still, but I had a lot of time to think it over yesterday and a lot of people to talk with. You were hurtful at times, but so was I, and I think we’d probably both be lying if we didn’t admit to liking most of the banter.” 

“Our banter was one of my favorite parts of working with you. I hope that you realize how guilty I felt when I started developing feelings for Kira.” He reached down and stroked the side of her face, cradling her chin and giving her a guilty smile.

“I felt the same when I started flirting with Kylo.” She admitted in return. “But he’s you, and you’re _him_. I think that I’m still processing everything, to be honest.” 

He leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her lips before whispering against her mouth. “I think deep down that I was hoping that she would be you.” 

He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Rey. I was unnecessarily harsh to you as Kylo. If you need some time to -” 

“I may be mad at you, but I still love you.” She interrupted. “And I didn’t make things easy on you either. Obviously, I now know that you’re not a wannabe editor living in their mother’s basement.” 

He laughed and squeezed her tighter. “And you’re a brilliant writer, I hope despite my difficult expectations that you realized that, even though I was horrible at telling you as much.” 

“You mean the ridiculous expectations that I constantly ignored?” She asked. “Honestly, who still follows those?” 

“Most of the authors I work with at Resistance,” he replied. “Though I believe you once accused me of using rules that no one in over a hundred years had used and if you average the age of the usual writers I work with - well, you’re not far off.” 

It was Rey’s turn to laugh. 

“One more question?” she asked as he led her into the living room. 

He chuckled and pulled her into his embrace as they sat on the couch. “I’ll answer any questions that you have.” 

“Why were you so harsh on Kira? Amilyn said I was the exception and that you weren’t like this with your other authors.” 

“She’s right, I’m usually not.” He admitted. “You were assigned to me on a bad day, and I took it out on you. I never intended to continue, but then you snapped back and it went from there and then I started looking forward to bantering with you.” 

“I wanted to hate you so badly, and at times I think I did, but I started liking it more than I ever wanted to admit.” She murmured into his shirt.

He leaned down and gave her another kiss. 

“I am sorry though, I promise things will be different now.” 

She looked at him with wide eyes. “Wait. You still want to work together?” 

“Of course, if you still want to work with me,” he replied. “I'll understand if you don’t.”

Rey pretended to think it over for a moment. “Hmm. Can we work together in person from now on, and can I permanently veto all of your dumb outdated rules?” 

“Anything you want,” he laughed. “I’ll even help you act out scenes if you’d like.” 

“Any scenes?” She glanced at him suggestively

“ _Especially_ those scenes.” He agreed. “My turn for a question. How much of our sex life have you already used for inspiration?” 

“Just a few things, the sixty-nine for sure,” she admitted. “I also based Ryder off of you and now I’m surprised that you didn’t notice.” 

“Rey, I edit dozens of erotic stories a year, I see it all, and tall guys with dark hair and big hands are in every other fic. I honestly don’t think I would realize that someone was writing about me unless they named the character Ben Solo and described a _very_ unique encounter word for word.” 

“Well, now you’re giving me an idea for my next story!” 

“Don’t you dare,” he teased. 

They sat and talked as he explained more about how he’d started working for Amilyn and laughed about the funny coincidences they had missed; especially the way that they’d sabotaged their evening plans together several days earlier. He told her that her story was one of her favorites he’d worked on, and she agreed that he wasn’t half bad as an editor when he wasn’t being a jerk.

It felt good to have everything out in the open and while she was still processing her emotions, she mostly felt relieved. 

“So about some of those sex scenes I’ve written, there’s one that I was kind of hoping you’d want to try with me sometime,” Rey casually mentioned. 

“The end of chapter thirteen?” He raised a questioning eyebrow. 

She nodded shyly and bit her lip. “If that’s okay with you?” 

“More than okay,” he assured her. 

“You can eat me after I eat lunch,” she grinned teasingly as she turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen. 

After making a sandwich, she joined him back in the living room where he sat working on his laptop, typing steadily on the keys. Leaning against his shoulder, she read the screen and looked at him curiously. 

“Did you want to see what Amilyn is helping me with? We only started it this morning and she could only stop by for a short visit, so it’s not much.”

Rey glanced through the text and smiled at the bolded title he’d put at the top, **“The Great Cotton Candy Catastrophe on Coney Island!”**

“Is this an outline for a children’s book?” She asked. “You, Mr. War Crimes and Historical Fiction are writing a children’s book?!” 

“Well, kind of writing, Amilyn is helping a lot and I’d love for you to help too. I was planning to show you tomorrow when you came home with me after work,” he replied. 

Rey grinned. “I need to know the story behind this, I didn’t even know you wrote!” 

“I don’t, not really, though my mother wishes I did.” He admitted. “It’s a story based on a memory I have from my childhood. One of the rare times she and I did something together, just the two of us. She took me to Coney Island when I was eight and let me get anything I wanted. Needless to say, eight-year-old Ben found out quickly that eating a jumbo bag of cotton candy before going on a spinning ride was a horrible idea.”

Rey burst into laughter. “Oh Ben, that’s _amazing_. She’s going to love that! I would be happy to help you.”

“Thank you,” he murmured against her forehead as he gave her a kiss. “I’ve spent a lot of time criticizing my mother’s parenting abilities, but she’s been trying hard to fix things these past few years and I wanted her to know that I appreciate that and share one of my favorite memories of her and I. Amilyn remembers the details of the story well so she helped me with the outline, and I’m going to ask Jannah to do the illustrations.” 

“I think that sounds perfect,” Rey agreed. “This is the sweetest idea ever, your mom is going to love it!” 

  
  


****

Ben led her into their bedroom later that afternoon and with a mischievous smirk he looked down at her and uttered a single word. 

_“Strip.”_

He watched in anticipation as she removed her layers of clothing until she stood in front of him, naked and wanting. She waited for his next move, letting him guide her to the end of the bed as he turned her away from him, urging her to lean forward and place her hands on the edge of his footboard. 

“Ben,” she whimpered as he pressed his body against hers, his cloth-covered erection pushing tightly against her ass. 

“Look at you all spread out for me, such a good girl, Rey,” he cooed in her ear as he let his hands lightly trace along her torso until his fingers reached her nipples, gently pinching each bud as she writhed against him. 

“Ben, I need you,” she urged. 

He pulled away suddenly and began removing his clothes, tossing them to the side before taking his erection in hand and sliding it between her legs, coating it in the wetness he found there. Without warning, he thrust into her, smiling as she cried out just as Violet had for Ryder. 

“Don’t hold back, sweetheart, let me hear you,” he whispered in her ear. Moving quickly as he grabbed her hip tightly with one hand and her nipple with the other. “God, you’re so tight like this, Rey, so tight and wet and warm for me. I love you so much, so so much.” 

“I love you too,” she moaned in response.

He continued to pound into her, his hips slapping against her ass as the sounds of her whimpers and his groans filled the air. Ben could fill his climax coming on fast, he was so turned on at playing out the scene that he came with a shout a short moment later. Apologizing again in her ear over and over as his jets of hot cum filled her cunt. 

Sliding to his knees behind her, he urged her legs further apart and dove into her glistening pussy. Eagerly lapping up the combination of his spend and her arousal, teasing her entrance with his tongue before tracing along her folds to find her clit, taking the small nub between his lips. 

“Oh fuck, Ben, oh my god,” she cried out desperately. “I’m so close.”

He tightened his grip on her thighs. “Not yet, sweetheart, I’m not done tasting you yet.”

She arched her back, pushing her hips back towards his face with a groan. 

“Please, please, Ben, I can’t hold off anymore. I need to come.” 

He moved his tongue back to her entrance as his finger found her clit and began to rub it in quick circles as she whined incoherently. Her thighs trembled around his head as she tried to hold off her impending orgasm. 

Ben ignored her pleas for a few more minutes as she begged and panted until he finally gave in.

“Come for me, baby girl,” he instructed.

And she came. 

“I’m still kind of mad at you, you know,” Rey mumbled as she leaned back into him once her climax had passed. 

He let out a laugh and held her tightly.

“I know.” 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: The sex scene at the very end of the chapter after the **** when we switch to Ben's POV features a slight dom/sub dynamic and some cum eating. Heads up for anyone who isn't a fan of those and wants to skip. 
> 
>   
> So...updating this again...I was going to space the chapters out more, but my 2nd cliffhanger seemed to be more frustrating to people than I anticipated and I didn’t want to leave you all hanging for too long. I realize it’s my fic and I shouldn’t worry about what others think, but I’m only human and I fully own that I’m too sensitive at times. 
> 
> Plus, I’ve probably been the most excited to finally get to this part and already had the chapter ready to go - so it probably would have gone up tonight anyway 😊
> 
> I’m sorry there was a rush of updates, but I hope you enjoy getting to read them all together 💛
> 
> There are four chapters to go and every single of them is straight up tooth rotting fluff and smut, the next two are Christmas related and the final two jump us forward into the future (one smaller jump and then a several years later style epilogue!) I'll be updating those a bit slower to give people a chance to catch up on the latest updates, but I wanted to get this part of the story out quickly since you all have been waiting forever and then I tortured you with cliffhangers! 
> 
> Thanks for all your support and kudos and reading. I hope this resolution meets your expectations - I really wanted to go with something different and not _too_ dramatic (even if I ended up pushing it that way, sorry!)
> 
> Also, it's 100% my headcanon that Amilyn dyed her hair back to blonde because she felt the purple clashed with all of the red she likes to wear for the holidays.
> 
> And can I write a story without making Ben soft somehow? Probably not. Haha! Can you just imagine him writing a children's book for his mom? So sweet!


	25. Rey At The Plaza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding the perfect tree and decorating Ben's apartment for the holidays, he surprises Rey with an early Christmas present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pure fluff and smut. It's a later addition to the outline and doesn't really add much to the plot, and I almost wrote most of this chapter as a separate piece - but decided to keep it in. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
>  *****Please note the added tags*****  
>  I've finished finalizing how the rest of the story will end and updated tags accordingly. There is a brief discussion of future children in this chapter (right after Ben brings up the Eloise and Kevin suites at the hotel, I'll mark it with ***), and there will also be mentions of babies and pregnancy and Reylo children in the epilogue. 
> 
> For those who don't like pregnancy and children storylines, the next chapter and the second to last chapter will not feature any baby or pregnancy storyline and ends with a very satisfying HEA conclusion. 
> 
> The epilogue (which will feature those things) is simply a "several years later" slice of life to show a glimpse into their future and can easily be skipped.

_‘In two hundred feet, turn right.’_

Ben slowed down to make the upcoming turn onto the narrow road lined with tall trees as the woman’s voice on the GPS instructed him once again to _‘turn right’._

“It’s just up the road and around the corner from here,” Rey pointed towards a curve in the distance, her voice filled with excitement. 

He glanced over at her and grinned at her contagious enthusiasm.

The past week was filled with tension as they talked about their online identities, both insisting that they had apologies to make. Ben tried to take the blame for everything, he’d acted first and she had only fought back to defend herself. Rey had argued back that she could have handled her side of their communication better as well and refused to let him take all of the responsibility. 

Their conversations had ended with a few tears, several murmured apologies, and a lot of laughter over the ridiculous insults they’d exchanged. Neither of them wanted to dwell much on the past and decided together that they were ready to move forward. They called a truce and agreed to leave their old online rivalry behind and focus on writing amazing smut by day and acting out said amazing smut by night. 

It didn’t take long for them to both agree that it was the best arrangement. 

Their family and friends had reacted with a mix of support and amusement. His parents were positively entertained by the entire situation. Amilyn had felt bad about the hair color mix-up but had been thrilled that everything worked out between them and eagerly approved their plans to continue working together on Rey’s story. 

Rey’s friends had given him the third degree before deciding that he was forgiven, and Hux and Phasma teased him relentlessly the next time they met for drinks. Maz reacted in a typical fashion by threatening him first, then rolling her eyes and calling him an overgrown idiot before serving him an extra-large hot chocolate and two cookies. 

_‘Your destination is on the left,’_ the automated voice instructed as they reached the entrance to the Christmas tree farm. 

Pulling into the large gravel-covered parking lot, Ben found a spot off to the side and parked his SUV. 

“Shall we find a tree?” He asked.

Rey flashed him an exasperated grin and unbuckled her seatbelt. “No, Benjamin, I made you drive over an hour to Westchester County to sit in the parking lot.” 

God, he loved her. 

They walked hand-in-hand towards the entrance, stopping at the visitor's kiosk to acquire a map of the farm and a saw to cut their tree down with. Rey had already picked out the variety she wanted (Balsam Fir) and had made him measure the height of his ceiling (nine feet) to ensure that they would find the perfect option.

“According to this, we need to go right and then take the first left,” she explained as she pointed to the map, circling over an area with her finger. 

“Lead the way, sweetheart,” he told her, taking her free hand with his and letting her pull him through the rows of lush dark green trees. The scent of pine filled the air, mingling with the faint smell of campfire and just a hint of cinnamon. 

Rey moved quickly along the path until they came to the right section. They walked past dozens of rows of trees as she mulled over several options. Finally, she decided on one that was a little shy of eight feet tall and not too full, but full enough to fill the corner near the window in his living room.

Ben knelt and began to saw at the base as Rey held the upper part of the tree steady. Despite his decent physical stamina, it was harder than it appeared. 

“Are you sure we shouldn’t have someone help?” she asked hesitantly after he’d been working the saw against the trunk for several minutes. 

He grunted and looked up at her, brushing the lock of hair that had fallen into his face out of his eyes. “I’m almost halfway through, I think we’ll be okay.” 

She tried to bend down and see for herself, nearly losing her grip on the tree and causing it to sway suddenly in the other direction. Dropping the saw he jumped out the way and steadied it with his hand. 

“Sorry!” She squeaked and quickly resumed her position as tree holder. “I’d say you’re more than halfway if it’s leaning like that!” 

Ben gave her an exasperated look and continued sawing. 

Eventually, the Balsam Fir lay horizontally on the ground. He stood next to it and gave Rey a triumphant smile. 

“And you thought I needed help,” he boasted. 

Rey slid her arm in his and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, now, how do you suppose we’re going to get this on top of your car?” 

Before they had an answer, one of the tree farm employees came by to help them carry it to the front of the farm where they tightly bound it in net and secured it to the top of Ben’s SUV. 

****

“It looks perfect.” Rey stood back and looked proudly at the finished tree. 

The white twinkling lights cast a warm glow over the room and she loved how the mix of gold and ivory ornaments that they’d selected matched the simple grey and neutral color palette of his decor. A lit garland draped across his mantle and a few small decorative knickknacks scattered across various surfaces in the room. 

She felt Ben come behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, putting his chin on the top of her head. “I’m glad you talked me into the color scheme, it really does look nice.” 

“You’re welcome,” she tilted her head back to smile at him and he placed a kiss on her forehead. 

“Did you want to make dinner or order in?” He asked. 

She thought about it for a moment. “It’s nearly seven, why don’t you order something. I’m going to take a quick shower and change into my pajamas, I’m exhausted.” 

He nodded in agreement and pulled out his phone. “Does Italian food sound good? I’m craving our usual order from Dianoga.”

“Yes please, and order extra garlic bread too!” she called as she headed for the bedroom. 

When she emerged, freshly showered and dressed in her favorite grey lounge pants and a loose white tee, Ben was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV. Rey crossed the room to join him, glancing over at the tree with a smile. 

“Did you seriously put a present under the tree already?” She asked as she noticed the brown wrapped box tied with a dark blue ribbon sitting front and center under the branches. 

Ben shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Why don’t you go take a look.” 

“I can’t open presents yet, Ben!” she argued. “Christmas isn’t for nearly two weeks.”

“What if I said that this one is an early present and that you had to open it tonight?” 

Rey grinned excitedly and brought the box back to the couch. Wasting no time, she ripped away the paper revealing a cardboard box underneath filled with dozens of sheets of tissue paper. Digging to the bottom, she pulled out an envelope with a bow on the back. 

“All of that for this?” She rolled her eyes teasingly. 

Ben smirked. “This way was more fun.”

Carefully she opened the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Rey flattened the sheet and skimmed through the writing with a loud gasp. 

“NO! Benjamin Solo, NO!” 

He laughed. “Do you not like it? We don’t have to go.”

She wiped a tear from her eye and grinned at him before throwing her arms around his neck. “You’re taking me to The Plaza next weekend, of course we have to go. Oh my god, I can’t believe you did this! It’s so expensive, Ben!” 

He wrapped his arms tightly around her and whispered in her ear. “You’re worth all of it and more, sweetheart. Let me do this for you, please?” 

“Okay,” she sniffled and pulled away to give him a stern expression. “But you better not spend a ton of money on the rest of my Christmas presents, deal?” 

“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.” 

****

The following Friday afternoon found them walking from Resistance Tower to the Plaza Hotel. Ben carried their weekend bags as Rey walked beside him, excitedly talking about all of the things that she couldn’t wait to see. He hadn’t told her that they would be staying in a specialty suite and was looking forward to surprising her again. 

Once inside the lobby of the iconic hotel, Ben watched as Rey took in her surroundings. Her eyes wide as she glanced over every detail from the grand chandeliers to the floral arrangements on the tables. Elegant holiday decor covered nearly every surface, providing festive bursts of reds and greens and golds. 

“Why don’t you look around while I check in, sweetheart,” he suggested as they approached the desk. 

With a nod and a smile, she went off to explore. 

He’d booked the Fitzgerald Suite for the weekend, the Great Gatsby inspired room on the 18th floor featured rich grey walls and a large king-sized bed with a separate sitting area. He knew that Rey would love the Art Deco inspired touches and the luxurious accommodations and couldn’t wait to see her reaction. 

“Close your eyes,” he instructed as they reached the door of their room. 

Rey glanced at him curiously, but complied, scrunching her nose as she squeezed her eyes shut. 

Ben slid the plastic card into the slot on the door handle, the light turning green and beeping as it permitted them to enter. 

“Can I open them yet?” She asked. 

He placed a hand on the small of her back and gently guided her into the room. “One moment, sweetheart.” 

When they were both inside the room, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. 

“Now?” 

He chuckled at the impatience in her voice. 

“Now.” 

He watched as her eyes sprung open and her jaw dropped as she took in her surroundings. She glanced at the room in awe for a few moments before she spun to face him, flinging her arms around his neck and pressing an enthusiastic kiss to his lips. 

“This is amazing, I can’t believe you did this for me!” 

Ben held her tightly as he returned the kiss. 

***

“I considered the Eloise and Kevin suites, but they were both booked months in advance and probably something we’d enjoy more with kids,” he explained. 

“Kids? As in our kids?” Rey raised a brow at him with a smirk on her face. “Thinking about the future, Mr. Solo?” 

He paused as he realized that they’d never discussed children before, they hadn’t even talked about marriage. “I didn’t mean to bring it up so casually, we don’t need to talk about it if you aren’t ready.” 

“Ben, I’d love to have kids with you someday,” she assured him. “Not for a few years at least, but I want a family with you more than anything.” 

“I’d love that too,” he replied. “But until then, I want to enjoy every moment with just the two of us.” 

***

Lifting her into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her out on the bed. 

He kicked his shoes off and then removed hers, throwing them to the side. Rey looked up at him beneath hooded eyelids as he unfastened the side of her skirt, before sliding down the zipper. 

“Raise your hips for me, sweetheart,” he murmured as he shimmied the soft navy blue fabric over her ass and down her legs to reveal a tiny pair of red satin panties. “Fuck, did you wear these just for tonight?” 

She nodded eagerly at him, biting her lip as he lowered his head to her center and placed a single kiss over the smooth fabric at her core. 

He pulled her top over her head, revealing the matching bra. Stepping back he admired her toned body spread out for him on the dark grey bedding. The deep red satin of the lingerie glowed against her creamy skin. She usually wore practical bralettes with cotton underwear, and seeing her in a push-up bra nearly had him coming in his pants. The underwire pushed her small breasts together, creating tantalizing cleavage that he found himself unable to resist. He bent forward to run his tongue between them, licking along the edge of her bra as he pinched her nipples through the fabric. 

“That feels amazing,” Rey whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair, holding him against her chest as he nibbled at her skin. 

He slid his hand behind her and unfastened the bra as removed her underwear. His clothed body pressed against her naked one as he rubbed his hardened erection against her wet center and pleasured her nipples with his teeth and tongue. She writhed under him, arching against his body as she eagerly rubbed her pussy against his fabric-covered cock. 

“That’s right sweetheart, come all over my pants,” he instructed. “I want to watch you come as you rub your greedy little pussy against me, show me how wet I make you, how much you want my cock even when you can’t see it.” 

She groaned and whimpered as she clutched at the fabric of his dress shirt, frantically thrusting up against him until she cried out moments later. “Fuck, Ben. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_.” 

He quickly shed his clothes and flipped her over onto her hands and knees before entering her from behind. His cock slid easily into her waiting heat, wet from her arousal and her inner walls still pulsing from the orgasm she’d just had. She moaned as he took her relentlessly, his hands gripping her hips as his pelvis slammed against her ass again and again. 

“Right there,” Rey choked out as he adjusted the angle of his thrusts. “Fuck, Ben, that feels amazing.” 

“You’re so hot like this, Rey, taking my cock so well,” he praised. “I’m not going to last long, do you think you can come twice for me? Can you beg for it?” 

Rey sobbed and began to chant his name. He watched as she collapsed down onto one forearm, burying her face into the pillows as her other arm snaked beneath her to thrum at her clit. The change in her position shifted her ass further into the air and he ran a free hand gently over the globe of one cheek, tracing the skin where the lower part of her ass met the top of her thigh. 

“It’s too much,” she cried. “I need to come, please, _please_ let me come.”

“Such a good girl asking for permission,” he cooed. “You can come whenever you want, sweetheart.” 

Her hips thrust back against him, meeting his movements as she continued to work at her clit. Ben could feel his orgasm building, and as she brought herself to the edge once more her clenching walls triggered his own release. 

“Holy shit, I don’t think I can walk for the rest of the weekend,” Rey gasped as they collapsed onto the bed together. “You’re okay with just ordering room service and never actually leaving the room, right?”

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “I’m more than okay with that. In fact, I was hoping that would be the plan.”

Rey curled up against his chest and wove her legs between his. “Mmm, you know me so well.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I had to take a longer break between the last chapter and this one to finalize how I plan to end things. I do have the rest of the story outlined, some chapters are detailed than others, so the updates may come a bit slower - however, I hope to be finished by the end of October, if not sooner. 
> 
> Your support and love and excitement for this story still blows my mind. I can't thank you all enough!


	26. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure fluff, big moments, and Christmas with family and friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy some holiday sweetness a couple of months early! There's not really any major plot here - just sweet moments I wanted to put in that I decided to set at Christmas. A little fun and fluff for your Friday - especially for those of you reading my other WIP, I'll Pick You - this fluff is especially for you after my update on that earlier ;-)

“Was that the fourth or fifth rendition of _All I Want For Christmas Is You_ we’ve heard tonight?” Poe leaned over to ask her as the giggling group of women exited the stage after performing the Mariah Carey hit. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Sixth, at least.” 

“Well, they certainly aren’t getting any better. How long until you two go up and sing something?” Rose asked. 

“Rey doesn’t want to sing with me tonight,” Poe pouted. “She’s performing something by herself for Ben.”

Rey grimaced as Kaydel let out a squeal from beside her. “No way! You never go up alone! What are you singing?” 

She glanced over at Ben who was deep in conversation with Hux before turning back to make a shushing sound at her friends. “He has no idea, I’m going to surprise him. You’ll have to wait to hear my song choice when he does.” 

“You’re no fun,” Kaydel groaned. 

“He’s going to love it, Rey,” Rose added. “So when _is_ it your turn?” 

Rey shrugged. “After a few more songs, maybe? I can’t remember how far down the list I was when I went over to sign up earlier.”

The DJ called her name after two more performances. 

She made her way up to the stage, nervously clenching her hands into fists as she weaved through the crowded audience. Her friends whooped and hollered from behind her as she took the stage and turned to face the room. In the blinding stage lights, she could barely make out Ben’s face as he looked at her with a curious expression. 

The swinging opening notes of her chosen song began just as she removed the microphone from the stand. Silently counting the measures of the intro in her head as she watched for the words on the small screen off to the side light up, she took a deep breath. 

_“The snow is snowing and the wind is blowing, but I can weather the storm,”_ her voice carried across the room. 

“Get it, Rey!” Poe hollered causing her to falter as she tried to stifle her laughter. 

Closing her eyes, she continued to sing, letting her nerves settle as she continued to sing the words of one of her favorite holiday songs. 

_“What do I care how much it may storm? I’ve got my love to keep me warm.”_

As the final chorus of the song came to the end she locked eyes on Ben who was smiling widely at her. Polite applause and a few whistles filled the room from the rest of the audience, while her friends all jumped up and cheered loudly. 

“You have no more excuses to avoid singing by yourself, babe!” Kaydel pulled her into a hug when she returned to the table. 

Rey rolled her eyes and laughed. “This was a one-time thing, Kay.” 

Her eyes darted over to Ben as he watched her with amusement from the other side of the table. Releasing Kaydel from their hug, she walked over and slid into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“I loved that,” he whispered in her ear. 

“You complained about my Christmas music the entire way to and from the tree farm, but I caught you humming to this song when it came on,” she explained with a grin. 

“Maz always sang this song around the holidays when I was younger and she’d let me watch her make her gingerbread men in the kitchen at the cafe,” he explained. “I always associate it with those memories and it’s grown on me.” 

Rey smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “She still sings it when she’s baking around the holidays, it’s grown on me too.” 

They returned to his apartment later that evening, exhausted from a night out with their friends. It had started with an intimate gathering at Finn and Poe’s loft for dinner. The plan was to stay in and watch a movie until Poe and Kaydel tried to convince everyone to go caroling. Karaoke had been the compromise. 

Rey hadn’t planned on singing for Ben until they arrived at The Soundmound, but once the idea hit, she couldn’t shake it. Seeing the look on his face during her performance had been worth it. 

****

“Ben, Ben, wake up!” 

He rolled over to find Rey kneeling on the bed beside him, dressed in her adorable plaid flannel pajamas and her hair a total mess thanks to their activities from the previous evening. They’d spent Christmas Eve, just the two of them, wrapping presents for the following day while eating pizza and watching Die Hard. If he hadn’t already known that Rey was the perfect woman, her agreement that Hans Gruber falling from Nakatomi Tower was a necessary Christmas tradition had sealed the deal. 

They’d fallen asleep just before midnight after he’d made love to her slowly on the couch by the glow of the Christmas tree. 

“Please tell me it’s not before seven,” he grumbled. 

“It’s after nine, almost ten actually,” she assured him. “I’ve only been up for a few minutes so we slept in.” 

He sat up with a yawn and stretched his arms over his head. “Fine. Coffee first, then presents.”

She brought him a large flat box as soon as they’d returned to the living room with their coffee mugs in hand, a proud look on her face. 

“Full disclaimer, there’s a story behind this, but I’ll tell you once you open it,” she explained as she handed him the present. 

He grinned at her excitement and took the box. Tearing away the paper, he lifted the lid to find a book sitting amongst a pile of tissue paper. _Her_ book. 

“But we’re still working on your last chapters,” he gave her a puzzled expression. 

“I _may_ have a little help getting the rest finished behind your back,” Rey replied. “This is how I was going to tell you that I was writing a story for Passion and Prose before I knew you were Kylo. Read the dedication.”

He flipped open the first page and found the tiny script. 

_To Ben. My love for you would cross a million galaxies. Your Rey._

“Come here, you,” he motioned and pulled her into his lap. “I love you.” 

“Love you, too,” she murmured as she captured his lips into a soft kiss. “We can still edit the last couple of chapters together for the site, I’m sure there are a few things the girls and I missed. But, I wanted you to have the first full copy.” 

He kissed her again. “I’m honored,” he whispered. “Also, I’m glad that we figured out the Kira and Kylo thing before. It would have made this morning a lot different.”

Rey laughed out loud. “Oh my god, that would have been a disaster. I was _so_ mad at you at first.” 

“As you had every right to be,” he agreed, tickling her gently until she squirmed off his lap in a fit of giggles. “Alright, enough of that. It’s your turn to open my present.” 

He hopped off the couch and went to retrieve a small square box from under the tree. 

“This better not be expensive, Ben,” she warned him as she took the present. 

“Just open it, Rey.” 

She lifted the lid off the box and pulled out the folded white slip of paper on the tree. “ _Go take a look and try to see if you can find a new ornament on our tree_ ,” she read with a smile. “Look at you making cheesy rhymes!” 

Ben grinned as she stood up and wandered over to their tree. Rey carefully scanned the branches until she stopped suddenly and reached for a small silver object attached to a ribbon. 

“Did you find it?” He asked. 

Turning to face him, she held up the simple silver key with the engraved keychain that bore the words _home is with you_ and gave him a watery smile. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

“Rey Jackson, will you move in with me?” He asked softly. 

A huge smile spread across her face as she nodded. “I would love to move in with you, Ben Solo.” 

When he’d found out that the lease on the apartment she shared with her friends would be up towards the end of January, he decided that it was the perfect time to ask her to move in with him. She was at his apartment practically every night as it was, especially since they began editing her Passion and Prose story together in person. She’d recently mentioned that Kaydel and Jess were considering moving into a place closer to the city, and Rose also wanted to move closer to her job. 

“If you still want to live with your friends, I understand too,” he assured her. 

Rey shook her head. “I love them, and would happily live with them again, but I was hoping you’d ask. Although, I’m not sure if I can afford to contribute much, especially as an intern.” She bit her lip nervously. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Rey, sweetheart, I wouldn’t think that for one second. I asked you, remember?” He reminded her. “I bought the apartment outright with part of my trust fund, and yes there are taxes and utilities each month. If you’d like to contribute towards those, you may, but only a proportionate amount. Okay?” 

“Okay, but once I get a better job, I’m paying more.” 

He pulled her into his arms and gave her a soft kiss. “If that’s what you want, sweetheart.” 

Ben watched as she excitedly texted her friends. They decided that she would continue to live with them until their lease was up and then she’d move in with him officially towards the end of January. Rose, Kaydel, and Jess planned to move closer to the city where Rey would be able to visit them often.

*

“Leia! Our son and the girl who is way too good for him are here!” Han announced as he opened the front door to their penthouse later that afternoon. 

“Merry Christmas to you too, Dad,” Ben rolled his eyes. Han pulled him into a quick hug with a slap on the back before leaning over to kiss Rey on the cheek. 

“You’re going to deny that she’s too good for you?” He raised an eyebrow. 

“Han! Honestly!” Leia groaned as she emerged from the dining room. “Merry Christmas you two, how was your morning? I’m dying to know what you got for each other for Christmas!” 

“Only if it’s appropriate for company!” Han added. 

Ben heard Rey snort from beside him as Leia shot Han a glare. 

“Apparently, I put the eggnog out too early. Ignore him,” Leia explained. “Everyone else is in the living room, come on.” 

They entered the room to find Luke, Amilyn, Chewie, and Maz excitedly chatting over cups of eggnog as soft Christmas standards played in the background. 

“There you two are!” Amilyn was the first to notice their arrival and stood up to pull them both into a hug. “Merry Christmas loves.” 

Ben and Rey greeted the rest of the group before everyone took their seats as Leia served them both a generous glass of eggnog. 

“With extra rum,” she winked. 

“How was your morning?” Luke inquired politely. 

“It was wonderful,” Rey replied as she turned to him and smiled. “Can I tell them?” 

Ben nodded and squeezed her hand. 

“Ben! You didn’t!” Leia gasped excitedly and he watched as his mother’s eyes immediately flew to Rey’s left hand. 

Rey shook her head. “Not that,” she laughed. “Ben asked me to move in with him, and I said yes.” 

Leia clapped her hands together. “That’s fantastic! Oh, I’m so happy for you two!” 

****

Rey was still getting used to happy family Christmases. It wasn’t until she’d moved to New York and met Maz and her college friends that she’d really celebrated the holiday, and every year since had been better than the last. 

After dinner, they gathered back in the living room for presents and exchanged gifts back and forth as laughter filled the room. Rey looked at Ben and nodded towards the gift bag that held the book they had written for Leia. 

“Here, mom, this is from Rey and me,” Ben smiled as he handed the red and white striped bag to his mother. 

Leia took it with a smile and eagerly dug through the white tissue paper before pulling out the hard covered book. 

“What is this?” She asked as she opened the cover and began to read the pages. “Oh my god, Ben, did you write this?” 

Rey grinned excitedly as Ben nodded. “With some help from Aunt Ami, and Rey. Jannah did the illustrations and our contacts at Alderaan Book Binding were able to rush the publication.” 

Leia sniffed as she turned through each page, laughing at the antics little Benny got into with his cotton candy at the amusement park. By the time she finished reading, she was openly crying. Setting the book down she crossed the room and engulfed Ben into a giant hug. 

“This is the best gift you’ve ever given me, I can’t begin to tell you how much it means to me,” she said tearfully. 

“You’re welcome,” Ben murmured as he patted his mom on the back. 

*

“Rey, can you join me in my office for a moment, just over here in the library?” Leia asked later in the evening once all of the gifts had been opened.

She looked nervously at Ben who shrugged before standing up and following the older woman through the adjacent double doors. Leia walked over to the pair of armchairs by the fireplace and motioned for Rey to come and sit beside her. 

“Is everything alright?” Rey asked as she took her seat. 

“Of course, dear!” Leia assured her. “Now, normally I would have done this in my office at Resistance but I couldn’t wait until we returned to work next week. I’m sure you’re aware that your internship comes to an end just after the new year?” 

She nodded. “I am.” 

Leia gave her a warm smile and reached over to squeeze her hand. “I’d like to formally offer you the position of assistant editor, effective immediately at the conclusion of your internship.”

"Oh, Leia, I would be honored. Thank you!” Rey replied as she found herself grinning from ear to ear. 

“It would be a travesty to not have you as a permanent part of our company, Rey. You’re a talented editor and a very talented writer.” Leia complimented. “I was reading your story on Passion and Prose before I knew you were the author behind it and it’s one of the best stories I’ve read on the site. I hope you’ll consider writing under the Resistance label someday.” 

Rey felt tears gather in her eyes as she nodded and smiled. “That would be wonderful. Thank you, again, so much.” 

“Oh darling, come here.” Leia pulled her into a hug and Rey burst into tears. The emotions of the day finally catching up with her. “I’m guessing you didn’t expect to have so many life-changing Christmas presents today?”

“Not at all,” Rey laughed as she pulled back and wiped her eyes. “It’s a good kind of overwhelming!” 

They returned to the living room and Ben immediately noticed Rey’s puffy red eyes and looked between her and his mother with concern. 

“Calm down Benjamin, these are happy tears,” Leia chided. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Resistance Publishing’s newest assistant editor and hopefully one of our future authors as well.” 

It took three seconds for Ben to gather Rey into his arms, lifting her off the floor as he kissed her excitedly. 

“I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t already suspect this was going to happen, I just didn’t know she would tell you on Christmas. I’m so happy for you, sweetheart,” he murmured against her forehead as he held her close. 

Leia cleared her throat and they broke apart. Rey blushed at the amused faces of their family and friends around the room. 

“I won’t be assigning you two to work in the same department together. I have no issues with you continuing your relationship, obviously - but given that you’ll also be living together, I figure you’ll want some time apart, right?” She confirmed. 

Rey looked at Ben and nodded, “I think that’s probably for the best.”

“We can still eat lunch together, and I get to take you home with me every night. I’m more than okay with that,” he agreed. 

“Me too,” she smiled. 

Han spoke up after the moment of silence that followed. 

“Are we done with the sappy shit? I’m still waiting to eat Maz’s desserts.”

Rey thought that a table full of sweets was the perfect way to end her Christmas, or maybe it was the second round of, this time thankfully uninterrupted sex, that occurred in Ben’s childhood bedroom before they fell asleep. 

Either way. It was a very _merry_ Christmas. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My husband and I watch Die Hard every Christmas Eve after the kids go to bed while we finish wrapping presents. It’s one of my favorite traditions so I had to incorporate it here too. 
> 
> Two chapters to go!
> 
> We jump ahead after this. The last two updates are more like epilogues with more fluff and slices of life as we see what happens with Ben and Rey in the future. 
> 
> The next chapter will conclude with a satisfying HEA ending for those of you who do not wish to read about pregnancy, babies, or children as the final chapter WILL feature those things - however, it is not necessary to read for a happy ending if you want to skip it. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your support and love and excitement over this fic. I can't believe it's almost over and I can't wait to share the ending (whether it be the end of Chapter 27 or the end of chapter 28, both are super sweet, with you!)


	27. Will You to I Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An important question leads to an important event and a very happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This over 5000 words of pure fluff. You've been warned ;-)
> 
> As I mentioned previously, the final chapter will feature pregnancy and babies and all sorts of domestic fluff - if that isn't your thing, I wrote this chapter as it's own ending with the HEA these two deserve. 
> 
> (also, this story exists in a covid free world, lol)

_August 2020_

**Ben: Tacos for lunch?**

_Rey: Yes please! I’ve been craving carne asada all week_

**Ben: Meet me down in the lobby, I need to take care of one thing first.**

_Rey: Sounds good, babe. I love you!_

**Ben: Love you too.**

She smiled as she slipped her phone into her purse. Nearly eight months had passed since Christmas when Ben asked her to move in and she was offered a permanent position at Resistance by Leia. 

Living with Ben had been an easy adjustment, and while she missed working directly across from his office she was only a floor away and as his mother had advised them months earlier, not spending every hour of the day together was for the best. They still ate lunch together most days, that would never change. 

Ben had stepped back from most of his Passion and Prose commitments, only staying on to edit her stories. She’d just begun posting the third in her _Love Across the Galaxy_ series with Violet and Ryder, with plans for at least two more, and had also begun outlining ideas for the first novel to pitch to Resistance. 

Rey didn’t think life could get much better. 

Ben met her in the lobby a few minutes after she arrived, greeting her with a soft kiss and a squeeze of her hand.

“How is your day going so far?” He asked as they walked out the front doors of the building. 

“Same as usual,” Rey shrugged. “Yours?” 

“Same as usual,” he repeated with a grin. 

Rey rolled her eyes as they joined the back of the line at AT-AT’s. “Chicken burrito?” 

“Of course,” he replied. “Carne Asada street tacos?” 

“You know it!” 

With their food in hand, he led her into the park walking their usual route along the busy streets and into the crowded park. The afternoon August sunshine shone brightly through the lush green trees that lined the path. 

“Here,” Ben motioned to a bench. 

Rey took a seat and he handed her the tray of tacos from the bag before taking a seat beside her. 

“Remember our first taco truck lunch date? I’m pretty sure we ate around this part of the park too,” Rey mused as she took another bite of her taco. 

“I do,” he answered. “It was a year ago today, and this is the same bench.” 

She turned to look at him with a surprised expression on her face. “Ben Solo, did you plan this?!” 

“There might have been some consideration behind my suggestion, yes,” he admitted. 

“I think that this has been the best year ever,” she smiled. 

He shifted nervously and pulled something from his suit jacket pocket. 

“I had this made for you,” he explained as he placed the brightly colored board book in her hands. “The idea worked out well for my mom’s Christmas present last year, so I came up with this for you.” 

Rey took the small book and looked at the cover. The simple artwork featured a boy and girl walking on a path through a park with the title _Rey’s Day in the Park_ written across the top in a cheerful font. 

“Oh my god, Ben, you wrote me a book!” 

“Read it!” He urged. 

She nodded and opened to the first page and began to read out loud. 

“ _This is Rey, she’s very pretty_

_She lives and works in New York City_

_For lunch each day she goes to find_

_A food truck that she has in mind_

_She takes her food across the street_

_To somewhere that is very neat._

_Along with her, she brings her friend_

_He’s tall and awkward and his name is Ben._ ” 

She stopped and laughed. 

“Keep going,” he encouraged. 

“But you’re not awkward!” 

Ben snorted. “There are plenty of people who would argue the opposite, sweetheart. Just read it!”

“Oh fine. _They make their way to Central Park_

_Where people laugh and doggies bark_

_The two of them find a place to sit_

_And eat their lunch for a little bit_

_She tells him all about her day_

_And listens to what he has to say_

_One afternoon Ben brings a thing_

_It’s small and shiny and shaped like a ring_

_He lowers down onto one knee._ ”

Her voice faltered as he did just that, taking over for the next line and reciting it by memory.

“And asks her, Rey, will you marry me?” 

Tears spilled from her eyes as she nodded frantically. “Yes.” 

He reached for her left hand and slid the ring on her fourth finger. “I love you.” 

"Love you too," she whispered before his hand cupped the side of her face and pulled her close for his lips to meet hers. 

She walked back to the office in a daze. Her hand firmly tucked into Ben’s as they walked along the familiar route towards their building. Glancing up at him every so often, she’d catch his eye and they would grin widely at one another. There weren’t words to describe how she felt, and she didn’t need to say them. They both knew. 

He led her through the lobby and onto the elevator, pressing the button for a floor that wasn’t either of their own. 

“My mother will come to find us if we don’t go up and see her first,” Ben explained at her puzzled expression. 

“She knew?!” Rey asked. 

Ben nodded. “My parents, Amilyn, Maz, Jannah, Phasma, Hux, your former roommates, Finn and Poe. I wasn’t sure who to ask for your hand, so I may have asked everyone.” 

Rey felt the tears she’d been holding back leak from the corners of her eyes. “You impossibly wonderful man,” she whispered, lifting to kiss him gently before the elevator doors opened. 

Leia stood immediately from her desk as soon as the two entered and motioned for them to come closer. 

“Let me see it!” She demanded. 

Rey laughed and held out her left hand. 

“I didn’t show anyone the ring after I picked it out, I wanted you to be the first one to see,” Ben explained. 

Leia sighed happily. “You did good, Benjamin. It’s beautiful.” 

“He did,” Rey confirmed. “Although, I don’t know if I’m more impressed with the ring or the book he wrote.” 

“You wrote another book?” 

“Did you not tell her how you were going to propose?!” 

Leia and Rey questioned at the same time and then laughed. 

Ben shook his head in amusement. “Only Jannah knew about that part since she helped with the artwork.” 

“Can I see it?” Leia asked 

Ben pulled the small board book from his pocket and handed it to his mother. 

Leia read through it with a smile, her hand flying to her heart as she cooed over the final pages. 

“Benjamin, you better be careful or you’re going to unintentionally become a children’s author,” she warned with a teasing smirk. 

“Not a chance, mother.” He replied. “Anyway, we should get back to our respective floors.” 

“Of course, of course.” Leia grinned. “Keep your Saturday evening open, we are throwing you two a little celebratory gathering at our place.” 

“Oh Leia, you don’t have to do that,” Rey began. 

Leia held up her hand. “It’s already planned, and your friends helped so I didn’t have to do much work once Kaydel and Jess took over.” 

“Alright,” Rey agreed. She knew that arguing against Leia and her friends would be futile. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, dear.” Leia smiled. “And while we’ve already considered you as such, I’m thrilled to get to officially call you my daughter now.” 

Rey’s eyes filled with tears once again as she accepted Leia’s hug, letting the older woman hold her for several moments. 

  
*

_July 2021_

  
  


“For the bride.”

Rey glanced up to see Jess holding out a flute of champagne and took the slender glass with a smile. 

“Thanks.”

“Of course,” Jess replied. “Drink up before Kaydel gets back with your dress.”

Rey took a sip of the fizzy beverage. “It’s time to put it on already?” 

Jess motioned at the clock on the nightstand beside the bed in the hotel suite that read just past one in the afternoon. “We’re meeting up for pictures at two.” 

Her dress hung from the curtain rod above the large window that overlooked the city. She’d gone dress shopping with her roommates, Amilyn, and Leia at one of the largest bridal boutiques in the city that past autumn. Rey had been convinced she wanted something plain and simple, no lace, no embroidery, and definitely nothing involving sparkles or tulle. 

The consultant had selected several dresses to Rey’s specifications and while they’d all been gorgeous, they did nothing for her and the reaction from the others had been lackluster at best. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she remembered the dress that changed everything. 

_“Can I come in?” Kaydel’s voice came from outside the dressing room._

_Rey nodded at the consultant who had just finished helping her out of the last rejected dress and the older woman opened the door. Kaydel slipped in with a dress and Rey immediately frowned and shook her head at the sight of both tulle and sparkle._

_“No way, Kaydel.”_

_“And how many of the plain dresses you’ve tried on have been a winner?” Kaydel argued back. “It took Jess and I a full five minutes to bribe Randy to let us pull this one for you after we saw it on the floor. At least try on something different.”_

_She let out a long sigh as her shoulders sagged in defeat. “Fine, just this one. Then it’s back to my style.”_

_Kaydel squealed and handed the dress off to the consultant before slipping back out of the room with an excited wave._

_Rey slipped out of her robe and stepped into the gown, feeling the silky lining slide over her body as it was lifted from the ground. Her arms slid into the jeweled straps before the woman assisting her gently pulled the zipper up the back._

_“I think your friend is on to something here,” the consultant smiled widely. “Turn and look at yourself.”_

_She spun around to face the mirror and gasped._

The dress had been an instant hit with everyone and as soon as the veil went on, Rey had begun to cry. It was everything she didn’t think she wanted, and it was perfect. 

  
  


“Are you ready to put this on, dear?” Leia asked as she motioned to the hanging gown. 

Rey nodded and stood from the edge of the bed, placing her empty champagne flute on the TV console. Slipping the short silky robe from her shoulders, she stood in just the white lace underwear with the light blue bow on the front. 

Kaydel and Jess removed the dress from the hanger and slipped it over her head as she put her arms through the straps. Once the back was zipped up, she turned to face the rest of the room. 

“Holy shit, Rey, you look amazing,” Rose gushed. 

Rey crossed the room to the full-length mirror by the door. 

“You’re welcome,” Kaydel grinned as she came up behind her. 

“Are you ever going to stop reminding me that you picked out my wedding dress?” Rey laughed.

Kaydel shook her head with a smirk. “Nope.” 

  
  


****

  
  


Ben looked at his watch for the fifth time that afternoon. His mouth curving into a small smile as the time changed from 1:59 to 2:00, she’d be there any minute. He couldn’t wait to see her and to tell her how beautiful he knew she would be. Beside him, Hux, Phasma, Finn, and Poe stood watching the path behind him. When the first hint of a smile cracked on Finn’s face, he knew she was in view. 

“Don’t peek,” Phasma warned him teasingly. 

He rolled his eyes and then grinned as he heard Kaydel and Jess laugh and urge Rey to _go get your man_ between the sound of the shutter clicking. 

Her heels echoed off the pavement as she approached, the park seemed to go silent around them as passersby stopped to watch. After a long moment, her soft hand reached up and curved over his shoulder. 

“Hold that pose for one moment,” the photographer instructed, taking a few more shots. “Rey, look over at me real quick, just a couple more, okay great. Ben, turn around.” 

There would be many details about today he’d forget, but as soon as he pivoted to face her he knew this wouldn’t be one of them. Her face _glowed_ as she smiled widely at him and suddenly it was as if he forgot how to breathe. Slowly his eyes traveled down her body from the way her chestnut hair curled softly around her face and gathered to the side under her veil, to the way her dress fit her perfectly and back up to the shimmer in her eyes as she took in a deep breath. 

“Hi,” she said simply as if they were greeting each other on any normal day. 

“Hi yourself,” he replied. “You look incredible, I don’t even know what to say.” 

Rey blushed and laced her hands through his. “I think you look pretty amazing too.” 

They followed the photographer around the park as he took hundreds of pictures, including several at their bench. As the afternoon grew later, they were taken by town cars towards the venue. The Skylark cocktail bar and restaurant sat thirty floors above the city, with a clean and modern interior that provided enough space for the small wedding they desired. 

“There you two are,” Leia greeted them as they stepped off the elevator. “Oh Ben, you look so handsome. Come, come, Maz is dying to see both of you!” 

The shorter woman stood adding the finishing touches to a three-tiered cake in the middle of a round table. Her dainty, wrinkled hands carefully placing the final touches. Rey’s hand squeezed his as he heard her let out a small gasp. 

“Well, you two sure clean up nicely,” Maz smirked as she looked over at them. “What do you think of your cake?” 

“It’s wonderful,” Rey grinned. 

Ben nodded in agreement. “You’ve outdone yourself, Maz. We can’t thank you enough for offering to make it for us.” 

Maz scoffed and put her hands on her hips. “As if I would let you _hire_ somebody else. I’ve been waiting to make a wedding cake for you two since the first time you followed her into my cafe.” 

Rey let out a laugh and went to hug the older woman. “We appreciate it so much, thank you.” 

  
  


****

Rey took a deep breath as Rose disappeared from view, following Jess and Kaydel down the aisle ahead of her. 

“You ready?” Finn asked from beside her as he took her arm. 

“More than ready,” she grinned at him as the opening chords of music began to play. 

They turned the corner and there Ben was, waiting at the end of the aisle for her. Their family and friends say on either side, standing as they noticed her entrance. 

The pure look of adoration on Ben’s face would stay with her always. His mouth curved into a small smile, and his eyes were shining with all of the love she knew he felt for her. He looked at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. 

As Finn placed her hand in his and proudly told Amilyn that he, along with Maz, Poe, and her roommates were all giving her away, Rey felt the first tears begin to fall down her cheeks. 

“When I assigned you two to work together on a little side project, I thought you might have a bit of a spark,” Amilyn began with a wink. “There was a spark alright, but not in the way I had predicted. And then things got a little crazy for a while, but once it all worked out you two were more in love than ever and my initial hunch had been correct. You two were completely _right_ for one another.” 

Rey giggled as Amilyn placed a heavy emphasis on the word right. 

“Ben and Rey, you stand here today in front of family and friends to pledge your love and a lifetime commitment to one another. You decided to write your own vows, so I’ll let you share those now. Ben?” 

Ben nodded and pulled a small piece of paper from his jacket pocket. 

“Rey, you’ve had my heart ever since you insisted I try the taco truck outside of our building and called me out for being a food snob. You’re the strongest person I know, you’re the light to my darkness, and you’ve made me happier than you will ever know. I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you’ve made me, sweetheart. It is an honor to be yours, even if I don’t always feel like I deserve you, but I will endeavor to always be the best husband and partner I can be. I’m looking forward to what our future holds, to seeing you become the amazing writer we all know you are, and to the family I hope we’ll share. I love you so much, Rey.” 

She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands and mouthed _I love you too_ before pulling the own scrap of paper she’d written and tucked into her bouquet among the peonies. 

“Ben, I grew up without a family and wished that someday I would have one. When I moved to New York and met Maz and started to make friends, I finally felt like I belonged, but it wasn’t until I met you that I started to feel complete. You make me feel safe and cherished, and loved, and important. You’ve been my biggest supporter, most of the time,” she paused as several people, Amilyn included, laughed. “You’re not just my favorite writing partner, but my favorite life partner as well. I promise to love you and encourage you and I can’t wait to see what comes next for us. Whether it’s writing a book together or starting a family, I’ll have you by my side and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I love you, oh so very much.” 

“Alright you two,” Amilyn spoke softly after they’d exchanged rings. “You ready to wrap this up?” 

Ben nodded quickly and Rey laughed. “Yes, please,” she replied. 

Taking a step back and addressing the room, Amilyn cleared her throat. “By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Benjamin, I think you know what to do next.” 

He rolled his eyes at his godmother before gathering Rey into his arms, cupping the side of her face tenderly as his lips met hers. Cheers and whistles went up from all around them as he passionately kissed her for several long seconds. 

“Hello, husband,” she murmured as they parted. 

“Hello, wife,” Ben replied with a grin. 

“It is my greatest joy to introduce for the very first time, Ben and Rey Solo!” Amilyn’s cheerful voice came from behind them. “Please join us outside for a cocktail hour, drinks are on Han!” 

“Hey!” Han’s gruff voice protested to the laughter of everyone around them. 

  
  


*

  
  
  


“Can I have Rey join me on the dance floor for a moment?” 

She glanced up to find Poe standing by the DJ grinning into the microphone. 

Rey and Ben had just finished their first dance to _The Luckiest,_ then Ben and his mom had danced to _Bridge Over Troubled Water._ She had turned down Finn and Poe’s offers to stand in for a father-daughter dance, and seeing the mischievous expression on his face made her wary. 

She shot him a glare before she sighed and stood, making her way onto the dance floor. 

“What’s going on?” she demanded as Poe walked towards her. 

“You said you didn’t want a father-daughter dance, but we decided that was the wrong answer. So, sunshine, this one's for you. If I may?” He reached out and took her hand as Stevie Wonder’s _You Are The Sunshine of My Life_ came over the sound system. 

She began to laugh as he guided her around the floor, crooning the lyrics as they went. After several bars of the song, someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to see Rose waiting. Poe handed her off and Rose took over until she passed her to Finn, who passed her to Kaydel, and then Jess, and then Maz. One by one, the friends who had become her first family took turns giving her the father-daughter dance she never thought she would have. As the final lines of the song played, Han took over. 

“I’m not good with emotional stuff, kid, but I’m pretty damn happy my son married you. Welcome to the family, Rey.” He told her as the music faded. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice breaking ever so slightly as she fought back another round of tears. 

Ben was there waiting to gather her into his arms, kissing the top of her head gently. 

“Good surprise?” 

Rey laughed as she wiped her eyes. “The best. Well, second to your proposal, maybe.” 

“That was a pretty good one,” he agreed before pressing a kiss to her lips. “You are so loved, sweetheart.”

  
  


The rest of the night passed in a blur of eating and drinking and dancing. By the time they left, Rey was pleasantly full and buzzing on champagne from the numerous toasts their friends and family had given them. 

They would be staying in a hotel that night, and Ben had hired a fancy town car to take them from their venue. Passing through a tunnel of well-wishers waving sparklers, he helped her into the back seat of the waiting vehicle before running around to get in on the other side. 

“I’m exhausted,” Rey admitted as she collapsed onto the couch in their room. “I didn’t think Jess and Kaydel were ever going to let me leave the dance floor.” 

Ben came and sat beside her after removing his suit jacket and rubbed her shoulders. 

“We can just go to bed, sweetheart,” he suggested. 

She turned and glared. “Oh no, we’re not just going to _sleep_ on our wedding night. Do you have any idea what the sight of you in those suit pants has been doing to me all day?” 

He laughed. “If it’s similar to the thoughts I’ve had while trying to figure out what exactly you have under that dress, then I might just know.” 

Rey pushed herself up to her feet and turned her back towards him. “Care to find out?” she asked over her shoulder. 

His fingers came up and found the zipper, gently pulling it down before she slid the straps from her shoulders, letting the gown pool on the floor at her feet. She heard the hitch of his breath from behind her as he was made aware of the fact that all she had on was the tiny pair of white lace panties. 

“Fuck, sweetheart,” he rasped. 

“Your turn,” she smirked and reached for his tie. 

Quickly he removed his clothes until he stood before her in tight black boxer briefs that hardly concealed his prominent erection. She palmed the bulge in one hand as the other gripped his hip as she lowered to the floor in front of him. 

Peeling down the form-fitting shorts, she took his length in hand brushing the head of his cock along her slightly parted lips. The tip of her tongue lightly grazed at the slit, causing him to moan from above her. 

“Sweetheart, just like that,” he encouraged as she took more of him in her mouth. “Fuck, Rey, your mouth feels so amazing.” 

He continued to praise her between groans and gasps as she worked up and down his length with her lips and tongue, sucking and licking his shaft and balls in all of the ways she knew would drive him wild. Her free hand reached between his legs to gently rub his perineum as she continued to let him fuck her mouth. His motions grew more and more erratic as his climax built and she felt his legs stiffen just before he came down her throat. 

“Take those little panties off and lie on the bed, wife,” he instructed after he’d caught his breath. 

Rey obeyed immediately, sliding the lacy garment down her legs and walking to the next room where a large king bed waited. 

“Like this?” She asked as she spread her legs wide, knowing her pussy was on full display. 

He growled and dove between her thighs, his mouth finding her clit with practiced ease as he covered the little bud with his lips. The gentle sucking shot jolt after jolt of pleasure into her core as he worked two fingers into her entrance, curling them to find her g-spot with practiced ease. 

“Fuck my wife has the most gorgeous cunt,” he growled against her center. 

The way he said the word _wife_ nearly made Rey come on the spot. “Don’t stop, husband,” she urged. 

He continued his efforts as she writhed on the bed, her legs flung over his shoulders as he held her hip in place with his free hand. His mouth and fingers alternated as he worked her towards her orgasm. 

“Come for me, sweetheart. I want my beautiful wife to come all over my face.” 

She couldn’t form a coherent response as her climax overtook her. Bucking her pelvis against his mouth as he lapped at her arousal eagerly, the mix of her fluids and his saliva coating her inner thighs. 

He made love to her later that evening, spreading his body over hers and slowly entering her as he whispered in her ear. They lay there together, simply connected, for a minute as he held her as close as they could possibly be. She found comfort in the familiar stretch of his cock in her cunt, squeezing her inner muscles around his length. 

“I’m going to come before we get started if you keep doing that,” he murmured in her ear. 

“Then you better get started.” She punctuated the last three words as she clenched around him. 

He lifted onto his arms and pulled back before plunging back into her quickly. Over and over he thrust into her waiting heat as she held his upper arms tightly. Her slender legs wrapped around his lower hips as she met his movements with her own. 

“I love it when you try and get as close as possible to me when we fuck,” he growled before lowering his head to her breasts and taking a nipple between his teeth. 

“Fuck,” she hissed as he bit ever so slightly, then soothed the reddened tip with his tongue. “More.” 

He obliged, fucking her steadily as he bit and licked the rosy peaks until she was babbling incoherently. 

“You’re such a good girl, such a good _wife,_ aren't you Rey?” He coped. “I need you to come again for me sweetheart and then I’m going to fill this right little pussy of yours with cum. Does that sound alright?” 

“Mmmhmm” she whined as her hands grabbed for his back to pull him even closer. 

Ben kissed her lips softly and then returned his mouth to her tits. 

“So close sweetheart, you feel so perfect. You were made for me, this little cunt was made just for my cock. Do you feel the way you clench around me? How _tight_ your body squeezes me?” 

“Yes,” she moaned quietly as her legs trembled and she came again. 

He thrust harder as her orgasm hit, and exploded moments later. 

  
  


”I’ll be right back,” Rey murmured after a few minutes as she rolled to untangle herself from Ben’s arms and legs. His softened cock slipped from her entrance as she slid to the floor and made her way to the adjacent bathroom. 

They skipped the shower, choosing instead to towel off with a damp cloth before collapsing back into bed. 

The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was Ben whispering _“sweet dreams, Mrs. Solo,”_ into her ear. 

  
  
*  
  


JFK International Airport was bustling with passengers the following afternoon when they arrived. Their flight to Tahiti left in a little over two hours and Rey couldn’t wait for fourteen straight days of pure secluded relaxation. She and Ben had discussed a hundred different destinations before she’d thrown up her hands in frustration and said she just wanted to sit on a beach and do nothing because researching had taken up all of her energy. 

Ben booked their arrangements an hour later and emailed her the info while sitting next to her on the couch. 

“Two weeks with nothing planned sounds perfect,” Rey sighed as they passed through security and made their way to the gate. 

“I can think of a few things we can do,” Ben raised an eyebrow. 

“Hmm?” 

He took her hand. “Well, after last night I’m really into the idea of fucking my wife.” 

“That’s a definite, what else?” 

“Trying new foods, swimming, maybe I can get you to write for me…” 

“Yes to the first two, we’ll see about the last one. I thought we agreed on no work during our honeymoon.” 

“Hmm yes, but bantering with you over your writing is such a turn on and who knows what kind of inspiration you’ll get for scenes between Ryder and Violet.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

“I’ll think about it Kylo,” Rey teased. 

“You better, Kira,” he replied. 

“I love you, Mr. Solo.” 

“I love you too, Mrs. Solo.” 

“Hey, Ben?” 

“Yes, Rey?” 

“I don’t have any plans for the next hour and a half, and I’d like to take you to lunch. Consider it a thank you for being my husband.” 

He glanced at her curiously for a moment and then a smile spread across his face. 

“I’m simply doing my job, sweetheart, but I’m not one to turn down a free meal and good company.” 

They both shared a laugh, recalling the email exchange that led to their first lunch together. 

“Shall we, husband?” 

“Lead the way, wife.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final epilogue will be up in a couple of weeks or so (hoping to post in on 10/27 so it’s exactly four months from the first chapter), I need to write it and I have a couple of other one-shots I've committed to writing for challenges this month that need to be finished too - so we shall see! 
> 
> For those of you who are stopping here, THANK YOU. I can't even begin to express how much the love and support and excitement over this story has meant to me. It really means so so much. 
> 
> A few notes...
> 
> I’m sure Ben would cringe at the children’s book I wrote “for” him - but getting it to rhyme was the priority, so apologies for the grammar rules that I almost certainly broke to make that happen. 
> 
> Why yes, I did slip the fic title in there! Haha!
> 
> Rey's Dress is inspired by Hayley Paige's Arlo [ HERE](https://www.theknot.com/fashion/arlo-6656-hayley-paige-wedding-dress)
> 
> I got the idea for Rey's friends giving her a father-daughter dance from a youtube video I saw years ago where the bride had lost her father, so her brothers danced with her in his place.
> 
> And finally, months ago I wrote my very first one-shot and didn't reveal this little fact then because I was still SO early into posting WFM - but [Just Your Stilettos](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25585918) is this Ben and Rey. It's just a fun and fluffy little smut filled piece set shortly after they married (no baby or pregnancy mentions in this, either!)


	28. Our Favorite Love Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six years later brings big changes and additions to our favorite couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end of this adventure! I can't thank you all enough for reading, especially to those of you who have read along from the very beginning and supported me along the way. Your comments and kudos and shares on Twitter have meant the world to me. I know I've said that in every author's note, on every chapter, but it's the truth and I'll keep saying it. 
> 
> Before you start, please check the added tags! In regards to the kink added, I marked the section it's in with ** before and after, it's just part of the smut that doesn't really contribute to any plot and very easily skippable!

****

* * *

**  
November 2027**

“Maizie Amilyn!” 

A giggle from beneath a cloth-covered table gave the location of the little girl away. Ben sighed and crouched down, lifting the fabric and peering in to find his four-year-old daughter sitting with her knees tucked to her chest and a mischievous smile on her face. 

“Hi, Daddy!” 

Gently he pulled her from her hiding spot, taking care not to bump either of their heads on the table, nor disrupt the stacks of books piled on top. 

“I thought we talked about no more playing hide-n-seek in the bookstore, Maiz,” he told her firmly. 

His daughter pinched her tiny brows together looking very much like her mother as she pouted. “But Daddy, it’s boring down here and you won’t let me go upstairs to the children’s section by myself yet.” 

“Grandma Leia will take you when she gets here, I promise,” he assured her. “But right now we need to help Mommy, it’s a very important day for her. Okay?” 

“Okay,” she let out a dramatic sigh. 

Taking Maizie’s hand in his, he led her over to the table where Rey was helping oversee the setup for her book signing that afternoon. Ben gazed lovingly at his wife as she smiled and pointed with one arm while she snugly held their second daughter, six-week-old Eloise Leia, with her other. 

Rey had nearly finished writing her second novel _Write For Us_ , a sequel to the wildly successful romantic comedy, _Write For You,_ that she’d based on their own love story when they’d learned she was pregnant again. His beautiful, stubborn, and determined wife had insisted on sticking to the timeline, even though she was due shortly ahead of the late October release. Eloise had been born exactly two weeks before the day the book hit shelves.

“Do you want me to take her?” He murmured as he wrapped an arm around her waist. 

Rey turned and kissed him. “Yes, please. I just finished nursing her so she should be out for a bit. Is your mom here yet?” 

Ben shook his head. “She’s on her way, Maizie is dying to go up to the children’s section and I promised her that she could go when my mom arrived.” 

“You can take her now, and take Eloise with you too, I think we’ve got things covered,” Rey assured him. 

He regarded her for a moment. “Are you sure, sweetheart? “

Rey placed Eloise in his arms and leaned down to pick up Maizie, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek. 

“I’m fine, I have several people assisting me, and Maizie has been waiting so patiently to go upstairs, haven’t you Maizie Muffin?” Rey nuzzled her nose against their daughter’s cheek as she let out a giggle. 

“Yes! Please, Daddy!” Maizie gave him a pouty lip as she wriggled out of Rey’s grasp and slid to the floor. 

Ben shook his head in amusement. “Alright,” he agreed. “Let my mom know where we are when she arrives.” 

“I will,” Rey promised. 

Giving his wife one final kiss, he made sure Eloise was firmly secured in the crook of his elbow before grabbing Maizie’s hand again and taking both of his girls up the escalator to the children’s section on the second floor. 

“I’m going to play with the puppets! Daddy come watch! El-weeze can watch too!” Maizie broke her grip from his hand and raced across the open area to a small stage and puppet show booth. 

He chuckled as she gathered as many puppets on her little arms from the basket near the stage as she could. All of her favorites including the giraffe, the lion, and the princess were tossed behind the booth before she disappeared as well. Ben grabbed one of the tiny plastic chairs and carefully balanced on it, shifting Eloise as he gently bounced the sleeping infant when she stirred. 

Unlike Maizie who had been born with an extra dose of personality, Eloise was the picture of calm. She rarely cried, and most of her time awake was spent seriously observing her surroundings. 

“Okay, Daddy! You ready?” Maizie’s tiny voice came from behind the curtain. 

“I’m ready,” he called back. 

“Is El-weeze awake?” 

Ben chuckled softly. “No honey, Eloise is sleeping.” 

A disgruntled huff came followed by Maizie poking her head out through the curtains. “You and mommy said having a little sister would be fun, how is she fun when she doesn’t watch my puppet shows. My puppet shows are the best, right? 

“Of course they are,” Ben agreed. “But Eloise needs lots of sleep to grow so she can be big enough to put on puppet shows with you!” 

Maizie didn’t look impressed by this information. “That will take forever. I didn’t know how to do puppet shows until I was a whole three years old.” 

“Maybe you can teach her sooner, and then you’ll be able to have four characters in a scene.” 

Her big brown eyes widened and she gave him a grin. “Okay, I’ll start showing her next week!” 

Ben shook his head with a chuckle. “It might take a bit longer than that, why don’t you show Daddy the show you have for today now though.” 

Maizie disappeared behind the curtain and a moment later a Lion and Tiger appeared. 

“I am a Lion, roar! And I am a tiger, grr!” Her voice rang out as she tried to move her hands along with her words. “We are very hungry and looking for something to eat!” 

The lion and tiger disappeared and the Princess appeared. 

“Oh no! I am lost in the scary woods and I heard a scary growl.” 

He smirked as the princess disappeared and a few moments later the lion and tiger were back. 

“Did we just hear a princess? We have to find her, she sounds sweet and tasty, we can eat her up!” 

Ben placed his head in his hand and hid his laughter. Maizie had recently been all about characters eating other characters in her puppet shows and stories, much to both his and Rey’s amusement. 

“I see it’s puppet show time.” 

He turned to see his mother approaching with a grin on her face. 

“Ah yes, the lion and tiger are about to make a tasty snack out of a princess,” he explained. 

“Well, naturally,” Leia chuckled. 

“Grandma! Grandma! You’re here!” Maizie came flying from behind the booth, tossing the princess puppet to the ground as she launched herself into his mother’s waiting arms. 

Leia kissed the girl on the head and set her back down on the ground. “I came to see your puppet show!” 

“Not to see El-weeze?” She replies skeptically. 

“Well, I came to see Eloise too, but I am especially excited about your puppet show.” 

Maizie made a face and shrugged. “I’m kind of bored with it, can you read to me instead?” 

Leia nodded. “Of course sweet pea, which book would you like me to read to you first?” 

Ben smiled as Maizie tugged Leia’s arm and pulled her off towards her favorite section. 

“I’m going to check on Rey,” he called after them. His mother waved a hand dismissively to indicate she had heard as she disappeared behind a row of shelves. 

Taking the escalator back to the first floor, he found Rey sitting behind the table with a stack of her books nearby. 

“I take it your mom found you?” She asked as he approached. 

“Yep. Maizie promptly pulled her away to read stories,” Ben confirmed. 

Rey grinned. “Your mom is so good with her.” 

“She is,” he agreed. “Do you need anything else before you get started?” 

“I think I’m good. I have lots of helpers, remember?” she winked in response. 

Ben gave her a sheepish look. “I know, but I like doing things for you.” 

Rey stood and came around the table, pulling his head down for a kiss. “I love you.” 

“Love you too,” he murmured. “I’ll be upstairs if you need me.” 

Eight years had passed since he met Rey. The two had recently celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary shortly after Maizie had turned four in May, and just before Eloise had joined their family that October. They planned to try for one more in a few years; Rey hoped for a little boy, but Ben not-so-secretly loved the idea of being a girl dad. 

Rey had quit her job as an editor just before Maizie was born and stayed home to write, penning her first novel between 3 am feedings and afternoon naps. Ben had been promoted to editor-in-chief at Resistance two years ago and worked from home whenever he could. On the side, they occasionally worked together on various short stories for Passion and Prose. It had taken some time and adjustment, but they had found a good balance between marriage, parenting, and work. 

“Mommy! Are you done? Can we go to Nonny’s cafe for hot choc’late and cookies?!” Maizie called. 

Ben turned to see Rey stepping off the escalator with a smile later that afternoon. 

“Were you well behaved for Grandma?” Rey asked as she crouched down to wrap her arms around the little girl. 

“She was wonderful, as always,” Leia assured her. “Maizie, tell your mommy how many books you read for me today.” 

Maizie grinned proudly at Rey as she exclaimed, “seven!” 

Rey gave her an exaggerated gasp. “Seven?! That’s amazing, Maizie!” 

“And Grandma only read me five books,” the little girl continued. 

“Well, I think that certainly calls for a visit to see Nonny,” Rey agreed. 

Maz’s cafe was only a few blocks away from the bookstore, so they elected to walk in the crisp fall sunshine. Ben and Rey held Maizie’s hands, stopping every so often to swing her between them, causing the little girl to erupt into fits of giggles. Leia followed closely behind as she pushed Eloise in the stroller, the smooth motion soothing the fussy infant who had woken up ready to eat along the way. 

“There’s my most favorite namesake,” Maz called as they entered the shop. 

Naming Maizie had been easy. Rey was insistent that their children’s names have important meanings, especially as she would never know the story behind her own name. Honoring two of the most important women to them, and to their relationship, was the obvious choice. Eloise’s name had taken more time. They had easily settled on Leia for the middle name, but the debate over a first name took months. It was ultimately Maizie who had given them the idea. She was obsessed with the Eloise books and they’d even celebrated her fourth birthday in the themed suite at the Plaza. Their persistent oldest had begun calling her baby sister Eloise after her party, or _El-weeze_ in her case, and the name had stuck. 

“Nonny! Guess how many books I read to Grandma today!” Maizie blurted out as she flung herself into Maz’s waiting arms. 

“Hmm, three?” Maz guessed. 

Maizie shook her head and giggled. “No, silly Nonny! I read seven!” 

“Well that certainly calls for an extra special treat today doesn’t it, why don’t you go sit at your table and I’ll bring it over.” 

“Okay!” 

He watched as she tore across the wooden floor towards the table in the back as his mother left the stroller beside Rey and followed. 

“I’ll go sit with her,” Leia offered. 

“Before I go get Maizie her treat, let me take a peek at Miss Eloise,” Maz murmured, bending over the bassinet and gently stroking her tiny head. 

As soon as she stood back up, Eloise let out a loud wail of protest. 

Ben watched as his wife gently lifted Eloise from the stroller, cradling her against her shoulder as the little girl fussed and whimpered. 

“It’s time for this one to eat,” she murmured. “Shall we go sit with your mom and Maizie?”

He nodded and pushed the stroller behind her as they made their way to the back of the cafe and the same table they’d been sitting at, separately and together, for years. 

****

“Are you ready for school tomorrow, Maizie Muffin?” Rey asked her daughter as she tucked her into bed that evening. 

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. “We are learning about butterflies this week!” 

Rey chuckled. “That’s one of your favorite things to learn about, isn’t it?” 

“Yep! Ms. Laura and Ms. Carrie said we will get to go to a museum on a field trip soon where they have a whole room _full_ of real-life butterflies!” 

“I know! Mommy is going to be a chaperone, which means I’ll get to come with you and your class. I’ll bring Eloise too!” 

“El-Weeze sleeps all the time,” Maizie grumbled. “Can’t she stay with Daddy?”

“Daddy has an important meeting at work that day, sweetie. And Eloise won’t sleep forever,” Rey reminded her. 

Maizie hadn’t been terribly jealous when Eloise was born, but the four-year-old hadn’t quite grasped that her new baby sister would need to grow a bit before she would be ready to play. 

“I know, you keep telling me that,” Maizie yawned. “Is Daddy going to tell me a Maizie story tonight?” 

“He is, I think he has a new one for you too,” she softly kissed her daughter on the forehead. “I’ll tell him you’re ready, okay?” 

“Okay, Mommy,” the little girl smiled. “Love you.”

“Sweet dreams, I love you too,” Rey whispered before stepping out into the hallway to find her husband. 

Ben had continued his side hobby of writing children’s books for family and friends after Maizie was born. He’d come up with dozens of silly little tales featuring their daughter and her adventures. A few of his stories had been illustrated and bound and now sat proudly on the tiny white bookshelf in her room. The rest he told her from his head, letting Maizie help him come up with details. Some nights storytime would last nearly an hour as Ben and Maizie would craft elaborate tales together. On those nights, Rey would sit out in the hallway and listen to the soothing deep timbre of her husband’s voice and the light tinkling giggles of their daughter. 

Her _own_ little family. 

The following morning, Ben and Rey, with Eloise strapped securely to Rey’s chest in a carrier, walked an excited Maizie to her preschool two blocks away from their apartment building. They had moved to a bigger place right before she was born, wanting to have enough space for their growing family. The four-bedroom, five-bathroom penthouse was an enormous splurge, one Rey had initially found unnecessary, until she fell in love with the space and proximity to Han and Leia’s, Resistance, and the park. 

Dressed in her uniform, wool coat, and shiny mary-Jane shoes with a giraffe backpack, Maizie chatted animatedly about how blue butterflies were her favorite of all the butterflies as she held both of her parents' hands. When they arrived at the building, she released her grip, shouted a hurried goodbye, and rushed across the classroom to greet her best friends, Willow and Brooks. 

“Shall we?” Ben murmured. 

Rey nodded and gave Maizie one last wave. 

“Are you heading into the office today?” she asked as they made their way back towards their apartment. 

He shook his head and smiled. “I don’t need to go in today. I emailed a few things earlier this morning and am taking the rest of the day off to spend with my wife and kids.” 

“Is that so?” A smile spread across her face. “Any plans in mind?” 

“I was thinking we could go out for brunch,” he suggested. 

“I have a better idea,” she replied with a mischievous smirk. “Eloise is due for a feeding soon, but usually goes down for another nap shortly after. I got the all-clear from the doctor last week, we could take advantage of Maizie being at preschool and...”

“Say no more,” Ben cut her off with a grin. “Are you sure you’re ready?” 

“Absolutely,” she assured him. “If this weekend hadn’t been so busy with the last of my book signing events, I would’ve already jumped you.”

Eloise was beginning to fuss as they arrived home as she rooted around for Rey’s breast through the fabric of her shirt. Ben helped her unclasp the carrier and hung it on the hook by the front door as Rey carried the fussy infant to the nursery, sinking into the upholstered rocking chair and unfastening one side of her bra. 

“There you go,” Rey cooed as the infant latched securely onto the exposed nipple. 

Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes as Eloise eagerly ate. A tiny hand clutched at the bunched fabric of her shirt as her daughter settled into her usual rhythmic sucking and swallowing. 

“I’ll never get tired of watching you like this,” Ben whispered as he entered the room. 

Rey opened her eyes and gave him a lazy smile. “You just like the excuse to look at my boobs.” 

“I won’t deny it,” he shrugged with a smirk. “Do you need anything?” 

“No, I’m good, thank you though,” she murmured as she softly stroked Eloise’s back. 

Ben bent over and kissed Eloise on the forehead before lifting his chin to press a kiss on Rey’s lips. “I’ll meet you on our bed,” he whispered. 

With Eloise fast asleep and securely swaddled in her crib, Rey crept down the hallway to the master bedroom. Ben sat on his side of the bed, engrossed in a novel, with his reading glasses perched near the end of his nose. He’d started wearing readers a couple of years earlier and Rey had found the new look incredibly sexy. 

“Is she finished?” Ben looked up and asked once he noticed her. 

“Finished, burped, swaddled, and completely asleep,” Rey nodded. “She’s usually out for a good forty-five minutes at least.”

He took off his glasses and placed them on top of his book on the nightstand before motioning for her to come closer. “Then we shouldn’t waste any time.”

Lifting her shirt over her head, she tossed it on the bench at the end of their bed before removing the rest of her clothes and adding them quickly to the pile. Ben watched her as she stripped, his gaze darkening as more of her bared flesh came into view. Her body was still holding onto a few extra pounds, and she felt self-conscious about the few extra marks that had appeared across her lower torso during this latest pregnancy. 

“I don’t think I’ll bounce back as easily as I did after Maizie was born,” she admitted softly. 

Ben shook his head quickly and jumped off the bed. “Don’t even start, Rey, you are fucking gorgeous no matter what.” He walked around to where she stood and quickly removed his own clothes, adding them to the pile along with hers. His cock was already erect, standing proudly against his trimmed thatch of pubic hair. “Look how much I want you, sweetheart,” he urged, fisting his length, pumping slowly. 

“Fuck, that’s so hot,” she hissed. 

“Get on the bed, sweetheart, however you think it will be most comfortable,” he commanded gently. 

Rey crawled onto the duvet and rolled onto her back. Ben kneeled between her legs, hooking his arms under her thighs as he brought her center to his mouth. His tongue lapped eagerly between her folds, flicking at her clit and tracing broad stripes along the seam of her cunt. Gripping the covers, she moaned loudly and chanted his name as her body raced towards a climax. 

“I need you inside me, Ben, I want to come on your cock,” she urged. 

Pulling away from her core, he positioned himself over her, lining his swollen cock at her entrance, and gently pushed forward. The sudden fullness caused her to tense as her body readjusted to his size after several weeks. 

“Are you okay?” he stopped and asked, his face full of concern. 

Rey nodded eagerly and thrust her hips towards him, feeling him slide further in. “It’s just been a while, but I’m not sore,” she assured him. “Fuck me, husband.” 

Ben grinned and did just that, snapping his pelvis forward to fill her completely as her nails dug into his back. “Whatever you say, wife.” 

The sounds of slapping skin and moans filled their room as he settled into the familiar rhythm. His cock slid and out of her pussy as he turned his hips at just the right angle to hit her in all the right spots. Rey moved one hand between her legs to rub light circles on her clit with a finger as her other hand gripped his ass and encouraged him to fuck her faster. 

“Shit, just like that, I’ve missed this so fucking much,” she whispered in his ear as his forehead rested against her shoulder. “You fill me so well, I’ll never get enough of your cock.” 

Over the years she’d grown more confident in being vocal in the bedroom and in exploring new kinks, there wasn’t an inch of either of their bodies that had gone unexplored or untouched. 

**

Ben’s lips touched the top of her nipple as his tongue darted out to flick the rosy peak. “Is this okay?” he murmured against her skin. 

“I’m a bit sensitive, just be careful,” she replied. “And I might leak.”

He glanced up with a crooked grin. “That’s what I’m hoping for.” 

Her cunt clenched around his cock as she let out a soft groan when his lips gently sucked the tip, switching between both sides as he continued to pump in and out of her steadily. Rey worked her finger against her clit even harder as she felt her orgasm building as her breasts began to tingle. “I’m so close,” she bit out as she urged him to fuck her faster and harder. 

“I want you to come for me, sweetheart,” he instructed softly before returning his mouth to her nipple. 

A moment later she felt the simultaneous wave of her climax along with the let down from her breasts as she came hard on his cock while his tongue lapped up a few drops of milk. Ben continued to thrust into her as she rode out her orgasm while his breathing increased into a steady pant. A low groan accompanied his forceful ejaculation as he coated her inner walls with his seed, dragging his cock in and out of her center with long strokes as he caught his breath again. 

**

“Stay,” she insisted, wrapping her calves behind his lower back and crossing her ankles to lock him firmly against her. “I’ve missed feeling you inside me.” 

His cock began to soften after a few moments and he carefully guided them on their side, her face buried into his chest while he stayed nestled within. Rey sighed contentedly as she placed open-mouthed kisses along his collarbone as he lazily ran his fingers up and down her spine. 

A small cry from the monitor interrupted their post-coital snuggle a few moments later and she chuckled softly. 

“At least she waited until we were finished,” Ben sighed as he gently pulled out and sat up with a groan. 

Rey sighed at the loss and shifted onto her knees. “I need to use the bathroom, can you go check on her?” 

He nodded and reached over, grabbing the side of her face and kissing her softly. “Of course.”

They left with enough time to grab lunch before Maizie would need to be picked up from school. Making the familiar walk towards Resistance, and the AT-AT truck, they cut through the park and passed by The Plaza hotel. 

“Ready for this weekend?” Rey asked as she nodded towards the familiar building. 

Ben squeezed her hand and nodded. “It’s coming up fast, I can’t believe we’ve been able to keep it a secret from my mother.” 

“With all the people we invited from Resistance, I thought for sure at least one would accidentally slip and mention it,” Rey agreed. 

Han and Leia’s surprise 40th-anniversary party was that Saturday. They had rented out the Oak Room at The Plaza and invited dozens of family and friends to celebrate with a four-course meal, live music, and an open bar. Rey had been working hard with Amilyn, Maz, and an event coordinator to finalize all the details, and she was looking forward to seeing how everything came together. 

  
  


*

  
  


“What are you up to, Maizie?” Rey asked a couple of days later as she walked into the kitchen to begin cooking dinner.

The little girl grinned at her from the kitchen table where she sat drawing pictures, her tiny legs happily swinging beneath her as she furiously scribbled a blue crayon across the top of the page.

“I’m drawing our trip to the park!” The little girl proudly exclaimed. 

Rey smiled and peered at the drawing: an arrangement of black and green blobs covered most of the bottom half, underneath the partially completed sky. “It looks wonderful, Maiz,” she praised. 

“That’s Daddy and me, and you with baby El-weeze,” she said pointing to the black stick-like figures. 

“Very nice,” Rey complimented. “Should we go to the park again tomorrow after school?” 

The little girl’s face lit up and she nodded. “Can we go to the zoo too, please?” 

“If you’d like,” she agreed.

“Yes!” Maizie squealed and resumed furiously scribbling with her crayons as she continued her drawing.

The doorbell rang as Rey was about to fill a pot with water and she sighed before calling over to Ben. “Can you see who that is?” 

He nodded and crossed the room, disappearing into the entryway. Rey listened as he opened the door and heard the low hum of hushed voices. 

“Who is it, Mommy?” Maizie asked. 

“I’m not sure, Maiz, but I bet Daddy will let us know,” Rey assured her just as the little girl went flying off her chair, sending her paper and multiple crayons scattering across the floor. 

“Auntie Rosie! Auntie Kaydel!” 

Rey’s head snapped towards the entrance to the living room to see two of her best friends standing with Ben. Maizie launched herself into Kaydel’s waiting arms. 

“Oof,” Kaydel groaned. “You’re almost too big for that now, Maizie girl! How is my favorite niece?” 

“I get to go to the zoo with Mommy tomorrow!” Maizie proudly exclaimed as Kaydel handed her over to Rose for a hug. 

“The zoo?!” Rose playfully gasped as she squeezed Maizie. “You are too lucky, your mom never takes us to the zoo.” 

“Auntie Rose, you’re silly!” Maizie giggled. 

Rey walked over from the kitchen with a smile on her face. “What brings you two over? I’m just about to start dinner if you want to join us!” 

“We are here for dinner, but not dinner here,” Rose replied cryptically. 

“We’re s-t-e-a-l-i-n-g you for a night out,” Kaydel grinned. “Go put on something cute, we have a reservation in forty minutes!” 

She looked between her friends and Ben. 

“It was my idea, I have dinner handled and you just fed Eloise, go enjoy a few hours with your friends,” he grinned. 

“You’re sure?” she questioned. 

“Rey, go change!” Rose laughed. 

Rey gave her friends and Ben a smile. “I’ll be right back!” 

Twenty minutes later she emerged from the bedroom dressed in a soft pair of black leggings and a beige cashmere tunic sweater; the top half of her hair was pulled away from her face and secured with a clip, and she’d added a touch of mascara and lip balm. 

Kaydel and Rose were standing over Eloise’s swing, cooing over the sleeping baby as Maizie proceeded to lament about how often baby El-weeze slept from her spot on Ben’s lap. 

“She’s changed so much the past few weeks,” Kaydel murmured as Rey came to stand beside them. 

Rey nodded, gazing down at the little girl’s round face. “We think she looks like Leia, which is fitting given her middle name,” she grinned. 

“I definitely see it, and a lot of you as well,” Rose added before glancing at her phone. “Seventeen minutes until we need to be there, we should get going.” 

The small Italian restaurant was five and a half blocks from the apartment in a nondescript brick building with a dark green awning over the entrance. Rey followed Rose and Kaydel inside and towards the back where a small group of familiar faces already sat waiting. 

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re here!” Rey laughed as she threw her arms around Jess. “I thought you weren’t coming in until Friday!” 

Jess looked at Jannah and smiled. “We decided to take a few extra days off and flew in this afternoon, surprise!” 

“Well consider me shocked,” Rey said as she hugged Jannah. I’ve missed you both so much.” 

Jess and Jannah had met at her wedding and hit it off right away. Their friendship had quickly turned into something more, and two years later they were married at a park in Brooklyn. Last fall, Jess had been offered a job with another major publication based out of Chicago and they had moved to Illinois. 

“You’re not as excited to see us?” Poe teased from the other side of the table where he sat with Finn. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “I saw you three days ago, but yes I’m excited to see you too,” she grinned. 

They sat around the table and ordered drinks and appetizers. Rose filled them in on the latest plans for her upcoming wedding to Hux, the two were finally tying the knot in January after years of dating. Kaydel loved living with a couple of her Rebel magazine co-workers but wasn’t as thrilled about the mixed success with her latest Tinder dates. Finn and Poe shared the latest news about their ongoing adoption process, and Jess and Jannah talked about their adventures in Chicago. 

“Can we stop by and see Eloise and Maizie tomorrow?” Jannah asked as they were getting ready to leave. 

“Yes! We have presents from their _favorite_ aunties!” Jess added cheerfully. 

Kaydel scoffed. “I’m pretty sure I’m the favorite,” she replied teasingly. 

“Maizie brags to everyone that she has five aunties and four uncles and two grandmas and a grandpa, a great uncle, a great auntie, _and_ a Chewie. You’re all her favorite, trust me,” Rey laughed. “And yes, you can totally stop by tomorrow. Maizie’s at preschool from 9 to 12:30, and I promised her a trip to the zoo after, but we’ll be home by two or so.” 

“We’ll text you tomorrow and figure out a time, does that sound good?” Jess asked. 

Rey nodded. “That’s perfect! She will be thrilled to see you both!” 

To say that Maizie was excited when Jess and Jannah came by the next day was an understatement. The little girl had flung herself into Jannah’s arms and then quickly reached for Jess to join in their hug, squeezing them both tightly. 

“I’m in pre-kindergarten now!” She told them proudly as she pulled both of their hands towards the living room. “Come see what I drew today!” 

“Slow down, Maiz,” Rey laughed as she sat in the armchair holding Eloise.

Maizie gave a small pout as she dropped Jess and Jannah’s hands and reached for her giraffe backpack, pulling out a few sheets of white paper that had been painted with an assortment of bright colors. 

“This is a picture of my best friends Brooks and Willow and me, and this one is the penguins at the zoo in the park, and this one is me teaching El-weeze to play when she wakes up more,” Maizie explained as she pointed to each drawing. 

Jannah smiled proudly as Maizie declared that she wanted to grow up and draw pictures for books one day, just like the pictures in her books. 

“Maizie, love, did you remember that Auntie Jannah drew the pictures for the Maizie books that Daddy wrote for you?” Rey reminded her. 

Maizie nodded. “Of course silly Mommy.” 

“When you’re a bit older, you can come to visit Aunt Jess and me in Chicago and I’ll show you my art studio,” Jannah promised her. 

“I’ll be older next week!” Maizie insisted. “Mommy, can we go next week?” 

Rey shook her head with a chuckle. “Not next week, Maiz, you have school. Maybe in a year or two.” 

Her daughter scrunched her nose up and let out a huff. “That’s forever.” 

“It will go by fast, I promise,” Jess assured her. 

*

The oak room at The Plaza was filled with round tables and rich floral displays. A jazz band was playing softly on the stage above a square wooden dance floor as several dozen guests stood around chatting and sipping drinks. Luke was deep in discussion with Hux, Chewie was helping Maz arrange desserts on the table, and Rose and Jannah were entertaining her girls while Jess and Kaydel made sure the centerpieces looked just right. Around the room, she spotted more familiar faces: Phasma, Finn, and Poe, several of her former Resistance co-workers, and finally Amilyn, who was heading in her direction with an exasperated expression. 

“Rey, you’re going to wear yourself out before they get here, I’ll take care of the rest, you go wait with Ben,” the older woman assured her. 

“You’re sure?” she asked. 

“Absolutely, dear,” Amilyn nodded reassuringly as her light blue waves bounced against her shoulders. “Get out of here!”

Hugging the woman, she glanced over to make sure the girls were doing alright and hurried out to the lobby to find her husband. 

“Amilyn kicked me out and told me to come and wait here with you. Maizie is happily coloring with Jannah, and Rose is holding Eloise,” Rey smiled as she came to stand beside Ben in the lobby. “Have you heard from your parents?” 

He shook his head. “Nothing since my mom’s last text that they were on their way about five minutes ago.” 

She did the math in her head. “So less than ten minutes, give or take?” 

“My mom walks fast, I’ll bet on seven,” Ben laughed. 

“It’s cold out and your Dad will be complaining. I say eight and a half,” Rey countered. 

Han and Leia strolled into the lobby exactly seven minutes later and Ben gave her a proud smirk as she rolled her eyes. 

“You two look great,” she complimented her in-laws as they neared. “Leia, I love that color on you!” 

The older woman did a small spin showing off her deep blue dress. “I haven’t had an excuse to wear this yet and thought tonight would be perfect. I even convinced Han to wear a tie.” 

“More like forced,” Han grumbled as he adjusted the dark blue knot at his throat. 

“It looks very handsome,” Rey assured him. 

“Shall we head to our reservation?” Ben asked. 

“Aren’t we eating here?” Leia asked as they passed the entrance to the Palm Court. 

“There was a slight conflict, but they were able to accommodate us in another room,” Ben explained smoothly. 

Rey glanced between Han, who appeared unbothered by the information, and Leia, who looked skeptical. 

“What are you two up to?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Rey replied, trying to keep a serious expression on her face as Ben led them down the corridor to the double door entrance. 

“After you,” he motioned for his parents to go ahead as he opened the door. 

Rey laughed as she heard the immediate cheer and shouts of surprise. Following Ben info the room, she observed the shocked expressions on her in-law's faces as they realized what was happening. 

“You two!” Leia cried as she pulled Ben into a hug. “I can’t believe you put this together.” 

“I can’t believe you kept it a secret from your mother,” Han laughed as he leaned down to kiss Rey on the cheek. “I would have heard all about it if she knew.” 

“I had no clue,” Leia assured them as she hugged Rey. “You didn’t plan all this yourself with a new baby and your book signings and everything else you are busy with, did you?” 

Rey shook her head. “Oh no, I had a lot of help from Amilyn, Maz, Ben, and Chewie, plus we hired a coordinator too. Come sit down, dinner starts soon!” 

“Grandma! Grandpa! Look what Auntie Jannah is teaching me to draw!” Maizie announced as they approached the table. 

Leia smiled as Maizie proudly held up a piece of paper with a cat on it. “That’s very good, Maizie,” she replied proudly, hugging the little girl before turning to Jannah. “It’s so good to see you!” 

“When Rey told us about the party, we knew we couldn’t miss it,” Jannah explained as they hugged. “Happy 40th anniversary, what an amazing accomplishment.” 

Rey choked back a laugh as Han snorted. “She deserves a whole damn parade for putting up with forty years of me.” 

“Oh stop,” Leia scolded him and then winked. “We only survived the first thirty-two because we barely saw each other.” 

The band played a sultry version of _Fly Me to the Moon_ as Han and Leia danced across the large wooden floor. Dinner had been filled with numerous toasts, and a few roasts, as family and friends shared memories of the two from over the years. Han had even taken the mic at one point and said a few words, breaking from his usual gruff and sarcastic persona to tell the room how _damn lucky_ he was to have Leia, and that he’d marry her all over again. 

“They look so happy,” Rey mused as she shifted Eloise’s sleeping form against her shoulder. 

“They do,” Ben agreed as he stroked Maizie’s dark hair. The little girl snored softly with her head on his leg and the rest of her body sprawled across an adjacent chair. “I didn’t think Maizie would wear herself out so quickly.” 

She let out a soft chuckle. “Me either, all that running around and visiting people during dinner must have really taken a toll on her. Maz and Chewie said they would come and sit with the girls so we could dance later.” 

“Do you think we’ll be that happy after forty years?” He asked softly. 

“Of course,” Rey replied with a smile. “Do you?” 

Ben shook his head and her face fell before he began to talk again. “I think we’ll be even happier.” 

Her smile returned as she playfully nudged him with her elbow. “You’re ridiculous and I love you.” 

“I ridiculously love you too, sweetheart,” he winked. 

With Maz and Chewie watching over their sleeping girls, Ben led her out onto the dance floor just as the band began playing _I Could Write A Book._ The singer began crooning the opening lyrics as she smiled up at her husband. 

“This is fitting,” she laughed. 

Ben hummed in agreement, leading her in a small circle as they danced among their family and friends. 

“I have a confession to make,” he whispered after a moment. 

She glanced up at him, tilting her head curiously. “What’s that?” 

“The meeting I had yesterday? It was with the children’s book division to go over contract details.” 

Rey gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. “No way! You’ve been so adamant about not wanting to publish anything, what changed your mind?” 

“I’m not even sure, to be honest,” he admitted with a shy smile. “They’ve been bothering me ever since my Mom not so subtly shared the first book I wrote for her, and I finally agreed to a three-book deal when an idea came to mind.” 

“And what idea was that?” she asked with a playful grin as he spun her in a circle. 

“I’m starting a new series about a girl, named Mira, who owns a taco truck and is always fighting with the grumpy guy who owns the food truck next to hers, named Milo,” Ben explained 

Her laughter rang out across the room. “It’s perfect,” she replied. “And I’m assuming they will fall in love at the end?” 

“Naturally,” he leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. 

Rey melted into his embrace and smiled against his mouth, holding him tightly as the final lines of the song played.

_And the simple secret of the plot_

_Is just to tell them that I love you, a lot_

_Then the world discovers as my book ends_

_How to make two lovers of friends_

“Our story will always be my favorite,” Ben admitted as the song came to an end.

Rey glanced over to where Eloise slept in Maz’s arms and Maizie was curled up asleep on Chewie’s lap, then looked back at her husband. 

“Mine too,” she replied with a smile. “For many reasons, but I’m particularly thankful for one.” 

“What is that?” he asked softly.

“We get to write it together.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go. 
> 
> I'll almost certainly visit this world again, there are so many more stories to tell and I've grown quite attached. But for now, I have a few other projects to tackle.


End file.
